The_Rev
Old Pulteney 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
September 17, 2016 (edited May 25, 2018)
If I had to pick a house whisky - my best meeting place of quality and value - this would probably get the nod. Maybe it's because I grew up in a briny, fishy, coastal kinda town, but I'm a sucker for the maritime character of the Old Pulteney malt. Oily like a herring or mackerel, this oozes salt air, fresh lemon and lemon zest, vanilla, and something fruity - someone once said persimmon, and it's the best I can come up with. This one coats the palate well, with vanilla,toffee, and even dark chocolate liberally sprinkled with sea salt and a nice squeeze of lemon to brighten it all up. Unctuous, it stays on the palate for a long while, a sweet and savory melding of flavors with a hint of pipe tobacco. I'm not a big believer in desert island this-and-thats, but you could do a lot worse than be stuck with this forever as your whisky option. For $40, too, you can't go wrong - a true classic and a value at this price point.
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Good review. I'll try it out in a couple of days and see how it goes!
@The_Rev I need to give this another shot too—-I wasn’t very impressed when I had it ages ago. But, you’re right...VFM is hard to beat
Well, the reason probably is that I don't like dry and astringent malts. Islay malts are rather dry too, but the peatiness dominates it all, making it less of a problem for me. However, it is always good to return to a malt after some time, as taste evolves as you pointed out!
To be honest, I wasn't bowled over when I first tried it, but it grew on me. I think it also gets better as the bottle is open longer, too - it really benefits from a little breathing, I think. But, as you said, everybody has their own taste!
Reading your notes, I am wondering to give this malt another try... I somehow never managed 'to like it'. I guess in the end, it all boils down to personal taste and preferences.