K&L Exclusive: 15-Year-Old Unicorn Cask from Old Pulteney – Scotch Whisky News
Distillery-Direct Exclusive Cask: The Singular “Maritime Malt”
2006 Old Pulteney 15 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Cask No. 2061 First Fill Ex-Bourbon Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)
“I’m absolutely in love with this style … A truly special cask we’re so lucky to have.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer
Old Pulteney’s distinctive style has earned it the nickname “the Maritime Malt,” along with a corresponding cult following among hardcore Scotch connoisseurs. Single casks from OP are some of the most sought-after on the market, and when we’re fortunate enough to source one directly from the distillery itself under its own label, it makes for a must-have addition to any collection.
*Please note: Due to bottle shape, product ships as 1.5L bottle.
K&L Notes: Located on the northern shores of Scotland, Old Pulteney is renowned for its “maritime malt”—the distinct character that comes from aging and distilling their signature Scotch whisky near the Atlantic Ocean. This single-barrel K&L exclusive slowly aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels, giving the whiskey a sweet, salty, spicy, irresistible character. The old distillery in Wick, founded in 1826, was once completely unavailable in the town during their decades-long localized prohibition era. A popular fishing village, the town was mostly inaccessible unless by boat. Now Pulteney is producing a very classically styled, north coast malt typified by a subtle salinity. This first-fill, ex-bourbon barrel was filled at the beginning of 2006 and bottled just before its 16th birthday at a full cask strength of 53% ABV, non-colored, and non-chill filtered. It’s one of the few distillers still selling single casks directly to K&L, although only a handful of barrels made it stateside in the last year. Considering the quality, we believe this malt is exceptionally undervalued and represents a rarely seen opportunity to enjoy this special distillery under its own label, as a single barrel, and without the addition of any water or other additives. Incidentally, it will absolutely love a drop of water added to the glass, opening both the malty sweetness and the gorgeous maritime character.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: March 08, 2023
Oh, Pulteney, you do make me so happy. We’ve been waiting on this barrel for what seems like over a year—and considering it states that it was bottled in 2021, perhaps it was actually that long. Now that it’s finally here, it’s even more special than I remember it. This is the only OP single cask that made it to California last year (well, this year), but considering the quality I’ll be doing everything in my power to get another. The color is an attractive, old gold hue. On the nose, a beautiful, sweet stone fruit character, crushed yellow flowers, hints of salty sea spray far in the distance, crystal malt, and sweet citrus oils. On the palate, it absolutely pops. It’s nearly perfect with about 10-15 minutes in the glass, offering big, sweet, and salty citrus and stone fruit, hints of white pepper, angelica root, crushed rock, and agave syrup. With a bit of water, more pear, lanolin, and salt comes out. It’s all very waxy and very fresh. I’m absolutely in love with this style and while it was nearly perfect rested right out of the bottle, I do strongly recommend the tiniest drop of spring water to stretch and expand the flavors. A truly special cask we’re so lucky to have.
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