ctbeck11
Old Pulteney 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
December 18, 2021 (edited December 21, 2021)
Nose - apple juice, brine, orange blossom, vanilla, salted caramel, cereal grain, pear, fig, honey, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon, white pepper, grass, moderate ethanol burn.
Taste - salted caramel, vanilla, cereal grain, sour apple, mint, sweet floral notes, lemon, peach, honey, pear, allspice, white pepper, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with honey, salt, and orchard fruit flavors.
For reference, this review is based on the old 43% bottling of the 12 Year. The nose is sweet, floral, and earthy with apple juice and orange blossom underpinned by honey, fig, and a strong briny quality. The palate is very sweet and fruity, almost cloying, with some marked graininess, more orchard fruit, and a heaping dollop of salt.
Wow, this is salty. There’s a sensation of tannins on the finish, but I think it’s actually the saltiness drying out my mouth. Unfortunately, it has that cheap, spiked apple juice quality that reminds me more of a mid-level blend than of a single malt. Overall, this is average for me. It has many traits of a decent, sessionable sipper, but that saltiness ceaselessly builds with additional sips and quickly becomes oppressive.
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I'm precisely in the this camp on Old Pulteney 12 (the 43% version). Relatively thin, apple juice quality with saltiness that wears out my palate extremely quickly. I felt the same way about Talisker House Greyjoy, which tasted like this with a little more peat to me. Not my style, but I could see other people enjoying it if they aren't put off by salt. I'm very sensitive to it I think.
@Ctrexman It’s interesting because I usually enjoy brine and sweet/salty flavor combos, but this took it too far for my preferences.
@cascode Good recommendation. I’ll try adding a bit of water next time I pour some. Hopefully that will improve it. If not, the profile probably just isn’t for me.
@angstrom I have precisely the same opinion about both those expressions.
@cascode Agreed. Old Pulteney 12 and Lagavulin 16 used to be my “go to” Scotch. Seems like they just aren’t the same 15 years later. I need to find some old bottles and do a blind taste test. Seems like both had more depth and character.
@ctbeck11 Pulteney whisky always had a briny edge and short, dry finish - it is a hallmark and you either like it or not. For what it's worth I used to like this a lot but I've fallen out of love with it since the brand re-structure a few years ago. It was always a fine session whisky, and is particularly enhanced by a dash of water, which brings out sweetness to balance the salt.
Im with you I found this too thin and drying on finish.
@Anthology This was the old one at 43%. Haven’t tried the new one yet.
@ctbeck11 I wouldn’t be me if I don’t ask. Was this the old old pulteney or the new old pulteney?