Old Pulteney on Top of the World as 1989 Vintage Crowned Best Single Malt

The team at Pulteney Distillery in Wick is celebrating one of its greatest triumphs to date in the global industry, after Old Pulteney 1989 Vintage was crowned the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’.

The extraordinary achievement was announced last night (Thursday 17^th March) at Whisky Magazine’s prestigious World Whiskies Awards, hosted at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

Only the world’s most exceptional whiskies are nominated, and with a record number of entries this year leading to tough competition, Old Pulteney has even greater cause to celebrate this accolade.

The ‘Maritime Malt’ released its peated Old Pulteney 1989 Vintage in September 2015 as the embodiment of Pulteney Distillery’s renowned craftsmanship. Its distinctive smoky character comes from maturation in hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon barrels, which previously held heavily peated malt.

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager Margaret Mary Clarke was thrilled to hear news of the success. She commented: “This is a wonderful win for everyone at Pulteney Distillery and we couldn’t be more proud to have our 1989 Vintage recognised as the world’s best single malt. When we released the whisky last year it was a real hit with whisky enthusiasts and Old Pulteney devotees, who already recognise the quality and character of our full range of fine single malts. Last night’s award is another great testament to the dedicated Distillery team up in Wick whose passion and skill for creating incredible malt whiskies continue to be recognised around the world.”

The Managing Editor of Whisky Magazine, Mr Rupert Wheeler said: “This year has seen a record number of entries into our World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky continue to grow with the addition of new categories. I was delighted to have met so many guests last night, all of which make the whisky industry a pleasure to be a part of. The evening went extremely well and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the judges and sponsors of all of our awards. We look forward to doing it all over again next year.”

Each distinctively designed bottle of Old Pulteney 1989 Vintage is natural in colour, non-chill filtered and bottled at 46%. On the palate it is peaty to start, with a heavy, spicy underpinning and notes of vanilla, coconut and oranges giving this indulgent single malt a long-lasting finish.

Old Pulteney has been acclaimed for its excellence many times over. Old Pulteney’s 21 Year Old Single Malt holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. The whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

Founded in 1826 at the height of Wick’s herring boom, Pulteney Distillery is one of the most northerly distilleries on the Scottish mainland. It is this unique maritime heritage that gives the whisky its identity as the ‘Maritime Malt’. A long-held favourite for whisky enthusiasts, many say they can taste a faint hint of the sea in Old Pulteney thanks to the Distillery’s windswept location and close proximity to the North Sea. 

Notes

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Old Pulteney is one of the world’s finest and most distinctive single malt Scotch whiskies. Known as the ‘Maritime Malt’, it is crafted in the windswept coastal town of Wick, home to the Pulteney Distillery which is one of the most northerly on the Scottish mainland. The distillery was established in 1826 in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s famous herring boom which drew a fleet of over 1000 boats and 7000 workers to this remote and rugged harbour.

Old Pulteney is the embodiment of this place, its people and its remarkable history. The skilled Pulteney Distillery team continues to craft whisky using the most traditional and time-honoured techniques that most others have long abandoned. This includes the uniquely shaped Pulteney stills, which are reflected in the design of the Old Pulteney bottle on shelves today.

Matured in hand-selected oak casks, the resulting whisky has been acclaimed for its excellence, its smooth drinking style and faint hint of the sea. Old Pulteney holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. The whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

Old Pulteney continues to celebrate all things related to its maritime heritage and is renowned for its long standing support of sailing adventure across the globe. In 2015 the whisky announced a partnership to raise vital funds for the global maritime charity The Mission to Seafarers, the organisation that cares for the world’s 1.5 million men and women who face danger each day while working at sea. Old Pulteney will donate £1 from every bottle of Old Pulteney 12 Year Old sold in 2015 to the charity, aiming to raise £30,000 to support their work providing counsel and friendship for merchant seafarers in need – whether they are stranded, isolated or far from home.

World Whiskies Awards 2016 – who won?

Today is the start of Whisky Live London (tickets still available here) and that means that last night marked the announcement of the winners of the World Whiskies Awards 2016.

The World Whiskies Awards judges – if you look very carefully you can see the top of my head

I’ve been a judge for the awards for the past two years, and have been waiting patiently since the beginning of February to find out which whiskies have won this time. The judging process began back in December, when the panel of judges received packs of anonymously labelled samples to taste and score. The results were collated and a smaller group of judges met in person at the Honourable Artillery Company on the edge of the City of London on 1 February to try the highest-scoring whiskies from the first round and select the best of the best.

Now, after six weeks of waiting, the winner of the prestigious World’s Best Single Malt award has been revealed:

Old Pulteney 1989 Lightly Peated

It’s the latest peaty-cask dram from owners Inver House, where they have matured the traditionally unpeated spirit from their distilleries in casks that once held smoky whisky. The rumour was that the original Balblair release was created due to someone not checking the casks before filling them, but whether this was a happy accident or deliberate decision, congratulations go to Old Pulteney – it may not be the best-known distillery, but with a Jim Murray ‘Best Whisky in the World’ award for the 21 Year Old and a WWA World’s Best Single Malt under it’s belt, I suspect we might see more from them in the coming years.

Unfortunately, our handful of remaining bottles sold out within minutes of the result being announced, but we have a lead on some more – you can sign up to receive an email if we do get more stock on this page by hitting the Notify Me button.

You can find all of the category winners that we have in stock over on our World Whiskies Awards 2016 Winners page and all of the winners on the World Whiskies Awards website.

Rosebank 1990 – Rare Old / Bot. 2015

A 1990 vintage Rosebank bottled by whisky gurus Gordon & MacPhail. Bottled in 2015 for their fantastic Rare Old series, Rosebank distillery fell silent in 1993 so releases like this example are becoming harder to find of late.

£270.00

Port Ellen 1980 – Rare Old / Bot. 2015

A 1980 vintage Port Ellen, filled by Gordon & MacPhail in 2015. Aged for around 35 years, only 236 bottles have been filled at 46% vol.

£698.00

Coleburn 1981 – Rare Old / Bot. 2015

Only 161 bottles of this rare Coleburn single malt Scotch whisky were filled by Gordon & MacPhail for their Rare Old series. Distilled in 1981 and bottled in 2015, Coleburn distillery closed in 1985 and has since been dismantled.

£418.00

St.Magdalene 1982 – Rare Old / Bot. 2015

A 1982 vintage from the sadly now closed distillery, St Magdalene (Linlithgow). Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 2015 at 46% vol, as part of their fantastic Rare Old series.

£419.90

Brora 1982 – Rare Old / Bot. 2015

With Brora distillery being dismantled in 1983, releases from this Lost Distillery have become rather rare and hard to come by. This 1982 vintage has been bottled by Gordon MacPhail in 2015 as part of their Rare Old series. One of only 365 bottles filled…

£548.40

WORLD’S BEST SINGLE POT STILL WHISKEY

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ralfy dives into the peat-monster loch with Whisky Review 575 – Laphroaig 10yo re-reviewed 2016

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day comes a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Our buyers located the sister cask to one of the most highly-rated Irish whiskies in modern history—a Madeira-finished, cask strength delight that highlights all of the soft vanilla and easy-drinking character that makes Irish whisky such a wonderful spirit. 380 bottles were captured from this wonder of a barrel, all exclusively bottled for K&L. You could drink a glass of Jameson to celebrate the occasion, or you could show up to the party with this bespoke bottle from the Exclusive Malts – easily the most dynamic Irish whisky selection on our shelf.

2002 Irish Malt Whiskey 13 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malt” Single Madeira Cask #20024 Strength Irish Whiskey (750ml) ($129.99)

Here is a fun one from our friends at the Creative Whisky Company. They made waves last year by bottling a single barrel of Irish Malt at full strength and 13 years of age. While those details are unusual without a doubt, what shocked the whiskey world was that very humble cask (#20012) received a WHOPPING 96 points from the Whiskey Advocate. While we’ve become accustomed to seeing high scores in the wine world, this type of score is reserved at WA for the most special offerings and is never doled out lightly. The list of whiskies scoring above 95 points is short and reads like a list of legends. Needless to say we were sad to only acquire a few bottles of that spectacular whiskey. Luckily our good name and strong ties put us first in line when Mr. Stirk offered up a sister cask for sale in its entirety. This special cask #20024 is unique, yet very reminiscent of that special beauty. The third fill Madeira casks has still done wonders to the this already spectacular malt. This is bottled at full strength and only 380 bottles were made despite the large size of the cask.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 16, 2016

This is a massive score for K&L and our first cask strength Irish Single Cask Single Malt that we’ve ever bottled exclusively. This special whiskey was distilled at the exceptional Cooley distillery now owner by Jim Beam and is truly one of a kind. Last year, a bottling from this lot was named the top bottling in Whisky Advocates Fall issue. That whisky, garnering an astounding 96 points, disappeared almost instantly. This one will last a little long, but not by much. The subtle influence from the refill Madeira cask has added incredible depth and complexity, but also a wonderful liveliness not typical for Cooley. Expect vibrant green apples, salted oats, galangal sizzling in a hot wok, nutty richness, and the finest floral honey. Slightly deeper and more saline than its sister, the palate has a rush of sweetness before opening to a long, candied apple finish. Absolutely spectacular! This is top tier Irish malt is one of the best the Emerald Isle has ever sent our way.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 27, 2016

Wow, this is simply a stunning whiskey that David has procured for us. Clean, light, and bright, there is a wonderful core of apple, dried fruit, and lemongrass with hints of soft vanilla and spice. Super elegant, this whiskey still manages to show a good complexity and has medium heat on the finish. Everyone who I have spoken to who tried it has enjoyed it, as did I.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 29, 2016

This has beautiful, expressive aromas with seductive sweet floral and fruity notes. In the mouth it is soft and delicate, with the fruit flavors dominating. There is a nice long finish.

K&L Wine Merchants http://www.klwines.com/ Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637) Email: wine@klwines.com San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt and his life is now all the better for it!

https://youtu.be/RdT3vpr7qVo

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Also this month, we launched our Famous For A Reason Competition. We’re looking for you to nominate somebody who you think is Famous For A Reason. It could be anything, big or small, but they have to be deserving of their Famous title. Nominate them here and they could win their very own personalised bottle of The Famous Grouse. For T&C please visit our website. Find out what else is going on at Scotland’s award winning, five star visitor attraction this month…

The First Famous Gloag

The history of The Famous Grouse is as rich and tantalising as the whisky itself. Over the coming months we plan to tell you some of the standout Famous stories. And, there isn’t one more Famous and worthy of a look to the past, than that of our founder, the very first ‘Famous’ Matthew Gloag. Take a look at our blog here.

New Master Blender

Kirsteen Campbell has been appointed to the role of Master Blender for The Famous Grouse, taking over from current Master Blender Gordon Motion this month. Kirsteen will now become one of the few people allowed to share the secret of the unique blend of whiskies that combine to make The Famous Grouse. Read more here.

Easter at Wilde Thyme at Glenturret

Looking for somewhere special to go this Easter Sunday? Wilde Thyme at Glenturret Distillery have a delicious Easter Lunch menu, available from 12pm-2.30pm or treat yourself to Afternoon Tea from 3pm-5.30pm. Take a look at the menus here.

Blending Experience

Fancy yourself as a Master Blender? With our Blending Experience, enjoy a tour of the most traditional distillery in Scotland and a guided whisky tasting followed by an in-depth blending session where guests create their own blended whisky to take home. Find out about our Blending Experience here.

Though Islay is a small island, their whiskies are big and bold, with smoke, peat and the ocean breeze.

Discounted Items

Port Ellen 14th Release 35 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky One of the most rare and collectible whiskies $3899.99

Islay Blended Duncan Taylor Bottling Malt Scotch Whisky The palette is lovely with rich fruits, oily texture, chewy toffee, peat, smoke, cocoa and oak spice to the back end. $174.99

Octomore 5 (Bruichladdich) Year Old Scottish Barley Single Malt Scotch Whisky Sweet intense peat, grain, and rich smoke aromas. $164.99

Octomore (Bruichladdich) 5 Year Old Islay Barley Single Malt Scotch Whisky A richer style dram, with more honey tones, grains, rich peat and smoke shining through. $179.99

Kilchoman D&M Exclusive Single Malt Scotch Whisky The palate is richer and more rounded with crushed nuts, citrus fruit rinds, and a quite nice ripe fruit note. $119.99

Caol Ila Distilled 1983 Samaroli Bottling Single Malt Scotch Whisky A rich palate with the sweet smoke, honeycomb, and a bit of burning garrigue $679.99

D&M, 2200 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

We are about to fill our 1000th barrel, or at least you might be.  We are offering one lucky whisky fanatic the chance to not only fill our milestone barrel, but also their own 20L cask.  How you say?  Simply purchase your own personalised 20L barrel between 17th of March and 17th of April and you automatically go into the draw.  You’ll be flown from your nearest capital city, take part in all the festivities mentioned above, followed by a personal tour of the distillery by Patrick Maguire Director/Owner of Tasmania Distillery. You must be available for travel in May 2016.  The exact date is yet to be announced. So what are you waiting for.  Stop thinking about it – cancel the family holiday, sell those golf clubs that are collecting dust, do whatever you have to.  Just don’t miss out on this one time only experience.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR BARREL NOW

Terms and Conditions apply, offer open to Australian residents only