Old Pulteney 12 Year Old
Inver House Distillers (Thai Beverages) · Pulteney Distillery, Wick, Caithness
Old Pulteney 12 is one of the great bargains in single malt Scotch — a whisky whose coastal provenance is not a marketing story but a flavor you can taste in every sip. That brine-and-honey combination on the nose is unmistakable, and the dry, mineral finish makes it one of the most food-friendly drams in Scotland. It won't overpower you with peat or sherry, and that's exactly the point: this is a whisky that lets its geography do the talking. At around $45, it embarrasses bottles that cost three times as much. Cocktail — "The Wick Highball": Pour 2 oz Old Pulteney 12 over ice in a tall glass. Top with 4 oz chilled soda water and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of fresh dill. The maritime malt shines in a highball — the effervescence lifts the honey and salt notes beautifully.
Nose
Honey and fresh sea air arrive together — a distinctive brine-kissed sweetness that no inland distillery can replicate. Green apple, light malt, and a whisper of vanilla from the bourbon casks. Hints of orange peel emerge with time.
Palate
Medium-bodied and surprisingly crisp. Honey-coated malt gives way to a clean, saline minerality in the mid-palate — like licking a sea-sprayed stone. Vanilla, toffee, and a gentle spice from the oak.
Finish
Medium-length, dry and slightly salty, with lingering honey, a flicker of black pepper, and a clean maritime freshness that invites the next sip. Whisky
- Distillation
- Double-distilled in uniquely shaped copper pot stills (flat-topped wash still with oversized lyne arm)
- Maturation
- Ex-bourbon American oak casks, 12 years in coastal warehouses
- Chill-Filtered
- Chill-filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — "The Wick Highball": Pour 2 oz Old Pulteney 12 over ice in a tall glass. Top with 4 oz chilled soda water and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of fresh dill. The maritime malt shines in a highball — the effervescence lifts the honey and salt notes beautifully.
Food Pairing
Smoked salmon on dark rye with a squeeze of lemon and crème fraîche. The whisky's brine and honey meet the smoke and fat of the salmon in perfect coastal harmony.
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