Old Pulteney 18 Year Old Scotch Review
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
(Credit: Old Pulteney)
When it comes to the Old Pulteney core line-up, the 18 Year Old is pretty near the top. Beyond it is only the 25 Year Old, an expression that crosses out of the world on middle-aged Scotch Whisky and into the territory of the ultra-aged. That said, it’s a relatively new expression, part of an August 2018 brand extension. Pulteney 18 was introduced alongside Huddart and the sweet 15 Year Old that so defies expectations. Aged in a mix of ex-bourbon and Spanish oak casks, it too is bottled at 46% ABV.
The Scotch
This whisky has a sticky, but thin look to it. The coat on the glass doesn’t look especially thick, but the tears are tiny and quite slow-moving. For a scotch, it’s rather dark, with a color that almost reaches amber.
The nose is rich, full of golden raisins, straw, cinnamon and wet, sweet tobacco leaf. From there, a sip reveals a full, honey-sweet whisky. The tobacco gives way to spices, which added to a trace of wood and a pinch of ash rounds things out nicely. The finish closes up with the most modest aspects of the taste, that being the wood and the ash.
The Price
In the UK, expect to pay £115 for a 70 cl bottle and about $155 for a 750 ml in the U.S.
