Old Pulteney Huddart Scotch Review

Updated October 13, 2019

By Emma Briones

Rating: C+

After the discontinuation of Old Pulteney 17 and 21,  the Wick Distillery needed to revamp its core range. That is why, a few months ago, they announced a new range that is already available in Europe. The first expression in this new range is Old Pulteney Huddart.

This is a NAS expression honoring the birthplace of Old Pulteney: Huddart Street at Wick. Old Pulteney Huddart has been matured in refill American oak barrels and ex-bourbon barrels. Later on, this single malt has been finished in ex-bourbon barrels that were previously filled with peated malt whisky.

The new Old Pulteney range shows the same bottle with a new image. The new label is more modern and elegant and it comes inside a box with a fresher design. Old Pulteney Huddart has been bottled at 46% abv (92 proof).

The Scotch
In the glass, this single malt is gold, with medium tears. Old Pulteney Huddart is fresh on the nose, very herbal and floral. It has intense apple notes and a sweeter touch of vanilla and oak. The smoke is very subtle. 

On the palate, it is a whisky with a nice body and a little bit of an oily texture. There are some fresh grassy notes, quickly followed by a fruity touch (mostly apples and a little bit of banana). It has a salty side that melts with subtle peat notes, plus a light touch of nutmeg and pepper. The finish is medium and dry, full of spicy notes.

Old Pulteney Huddart is a well-constructed whisky that at first sight might seem a little bit young (and surely a couple of years more wouldn’t hurt it). The floral and herbal notes of the spirit are really present, though some interesting nuances can be appreciated. I especially liked the lightness of the smoky notes: discreet enough, but also present. Also, sometimes it is nice to find whiskies a little bit more herbaceous.

Addendum by Richard Thomas

My pour of Huddart had a white wine look, while dropping plenty of legs on the glass. The nose was honey sweet, with a little grassiness, but the latter was very much in the background and behind the larger accent of peat. I found the flavor flowed very much in the same vein, plus a light dusting of cookie spices and pepper. The finish was light, with notes of smoke and wood.

The Price
Old Pulteney Huddart is officially available in Europe. It is retailed around  €50 in Europe, $65 in the US and £45 in the UK.