Old Pulteney 21 Year Old

Old Pulteney 21 YO—2012 “Whisky of the Year”—is a Highland single-malt lesson in know-how and tradition.

If you look at a map of Scotland, there is a little point at the top … that’s where the little towns of Wick and Pulteneytown are located, and that is where Old Pulteney Distillery calls home. Back when they built it in 1826, the only way in or out was by boat, and that was just fine because it kept the constables away. This is a Highland Whisky, which makes sense because if they were any higher in latitude, Santa Claus would be living next door.

But these northern gentlemen keep themselves pretty busy. At last count, they produced 24 different bottlings and specialty offerings—all from their classic single-malt line. Tons of awards … yadda yadda yadda … great tradition of craftsmanship … yadda yadda yadda …. All you really need to know is that this is all great, single-malt whisky. Every drop that comes off their stills is worth the price of admission.

Each year only one Whisky earns “Whisky of the Year” from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. Old Pulteney 21YO took the title in 2012 and they got it the old-fashioned way … they EARNED it! The age their famous single-malt nectar in the classic combination of first-fill Oloroso Sherry and second-fill ex-Bourbon casks and let the wonder-juice rest undisturbed until it is old enough to vote—21 years … done!

This is just solid know-how and tradition here. The folks at Old Pulteney have been doing God’s work up in the nose-bleed section of Scotland for a long time and, quite frankly, there is nothing else to do up there except make some of the finest Whisky in the world and to wait for the sun to come up in the morning. So it’s no surprise that they have gotten pretty good at the Whisky thing.