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| Hello, that is one in all our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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April 2, 2022
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Angus’s Nook
From our correspondent and
expert taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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| One other pair of Pulteney |
| I had been planning a mini Pulteney tasting for this weekend, however then Serge went and beat me to it. Though, I didn’t realise Whiskyfun was approaching the one hundredth Pulteney milestone. Unsure you possibly can actually have too many Pulteneys anyway, it is an especially charming distillery and regularly a superb dram that also exhibits little bit of evocative coastal character in my ebook. |
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We’ll have a few older ones immediately, together with one I opened for this 12 months’s Whisky Present Previous & Uncommon tastings.
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First up is without doubt one of the stunning previous ‘tall’ bottlings by Cadenhead, from the period earlier than they had been bought by Hedley Wright and nonetheless positioned in Aberdeen. This could comfortably be Nineteen Fifties distillate so correctly earlier than any main modernisation works on the distillery and when their ground maltings had been nonetheless operational – ‘liquid historical past’, as we’re so typically fond of claiming. By the way, the energy ’85 proof’ is equal to 48.5% in immediately’s cash and is a energy that appeared primarily used for early single malt bottlings within the 60s and 50s (see additionally the beautiful official Miltonduff 13 12 months olds from comparable period). It is a energy that appears to work very effectively for many spirits, and why I wish to typically use it for my very own bottlings. Anyway, sufficient prevarication…
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Previous Pulteney (85 proof, Cadenhead, Nineteen Sixties) 
Color: palest of pale white wines – nearly new make. Nostril: uncooked, pure and fully unvarnished distillate. Completely on this model we regularly wish to name ‘barley eau de vie’, which is to say the whole lot right here is in regards to the DNA of the distillate. Brining to thoughts all kinds of issues like oily sheep wool, mechanical rags, instrument packing containers, heather flowers, previous ink wells, carbon paper and bone marrow. Greasy, oily and weighted with a way of texture and physique. There’s additionally a metallic edge to it, moderately like steel polish, soot and some previous cash, which I might say is extra a side of previous bottle impact. An exquisite and emotional nostril. Mouth: good, uncooked, pure and evocative distillate. Pure barley sweetness alongside paraffin, waxed hessian and impressions of chalky seashore pebbles and white coastal flowers. This inherent oiliness and weight within the mouth is most spectacular, actually now on olive oil, ink, bread starter and old-fashioned bitter ales. Naked bones, again to primary elements whisky. End: maybe a tad on the quick aspect however nonetheless exhibiting some pretty wee coastal parts, peppery watercress heat and this pretty glowing, waxy aftertaste. Feedback: being sincere, I suppose there’s a component of disappointment as I had hoped for a complete knockout previous glory with this bottling. However having stated that, it’s clearly a really youthful, humble dram, an nearly uncooked snapshot of previous model distillate that is feels invisibly pecked by wooden. What’s nice is that it shows great directness of flavour, terrific physique and a complete heap of attraction. Previous model however nonetheless exhibiting some heartening nods in direction of immediately’s youthful Pulteneys.
SGP: 462 – 90 factors.
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Previous Pulteney 15 yo 1974/1989 (57.6%, Gordon & MacPhail for Intertrade, 288 bottles)
An previous bottle with a giant status. Color: pale gold. Nostril: primarily it is a G&M CASK profile. Huge, sappy, mineral and peppery on the nostril with impressions of scorching leather-based strop, sandalwood, dried out beeswax and honeycomb. There’s additionally a completely very good and nearly elusive saltiness operating proper between the whole lot. Petrol, honey, sea air and the faintest of phenolic and medicinal touches. This nostril is good, brimming with coiled energy and completely stunning! With water: opens fantastically onto a wine and beneficiant profile that features many beers, honeys, natural teas, bouillon broths, umami and salty vibes and moderately chunky impression of waxiness. Mouth: nice arrival, all on salted honeys, aged meads, bitter heather ales, pumpkinseed oils, mechanical touches, natural wines, cough medicines and pure tar. Appears like there may be some peat concerned deep, down within the basement ranges of this distillate someplace. A fats, slathering texture that sticks to the enamel and leaves some splendidly tingling saltiness. With water: what’s nice is that it manages to really feel each relaxed, massive, open and beneficiant in its flavours and textures, whereas on the identical time giving this impression of taut, managed salinity and exact energy. Massively spectacular whisky that manages to really feel each technical and soulful. End: lengthy, lingeringly waxy, beer, salty, natural, medicinal and persistently massive and ‘fats’ all the way in which into the gap… Feedback: When they’re on kind, these old-fashioned western and jap highland malts are simply unstoppable. This beautiful Pulteney simply oozes effortlessness, class and sweetness. I actually adore the way in which it manages to really feel so massive and highly effective with out leaning on anybody extremity of flavour, like peat for instance, it manages to attain this energy with nuance and steadiness. An general model which feels as if it has been fairly absent for a very long time now, however I believe there’s fairly a couple of new distilleries which encourage lots of hope for the long run. Anyway, nice to do that one formally finally.
SGP: 463 – 93 factors.
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Huge sloppy kisses to Enrico!
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