Old Pulteney 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

The 15 Year Old is the middle rung in the Old Pulteney line up, and in my mind it fits that roll perfectly. It’s a lovely single malt, superbly balanced, and reasonably priced (even in America). However, the odd thing about the 15 Year Old is it isn’t what one might expect from Old Pulteney, having a character a step removed from most of what the distillery does and quite a bit removed from its nautically-themed image.

The Scotch
A pour of Old Pulteney 15 has a typical look to it, that of golden straw. Swishing the glass on this 46% ABV malt leaves a thick coat on the glass, one that lets only a few reluctant legs hang out.

The nose tells you that this isn’t what one should look out for in a Highland malt with a nautical theme. Instead of a saline aspect and perhaps a whiff of smoke, it’s a fruity malt. The scent is rich with green apples, raisins and citrus zest, sitting in a pool of honey and vanilla extract. Accenting this is a dash of baking spice, a sliver of dry wood, and a tinge of earthiness.

The flavor adds toffee to the sweet mix, while holding the spiciness, woodiness and a now chocolatey earthiness very much in the background. The latter aspects, although quite modest compared to the rich, sweet body, are just enough to hold the sweetness in check and add some sophistication to the whisky. The official tasting notes mention sea spray; when I didn’t get it I went looking around at what other bloggers and writers had to say, and found I wasn’t alone.

The finish flips the sweet and woody-earthy-spicy aspects of the whisky end over end, becoming far less sweet on the way down than the whisky was while sitting on your palate. It’s a nice capstone for the overall experience and really adds to it.

The Price
In the UK, expect to pay £65. In the U.S., prices vary much more, and one could be asked to pay between $85 and $100.