Old Pulteney SMWS 52.25 “A morning at the beach”, 11yo, 2007

Rating34/40
OriginScotland, Northern Highlands
DistilleryOld Pulteney
OwnerThaiBev via InterBev via Inver House Distillers
DistilledMarch 21st, 2007
BottlerScotch Malt Whisky Society
Edition52.25
StyleSingle Barrel Single Malt
CaskRefill Hogshead/Ex-Bourbon
Bottles240
Strength60.3% (120.6 Proof)
RetailerScotch Malt Whisky Society
WhiskybaseWhiskybase

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 25th bottling of a potent single barrel single malt from Old Pulteney located up in the northern Highlands.

Nose: Wait… is this a Bruichladdich? It feels like I’m experiencing those same typical buttery notes of raw cake batter that I’ve always loved about the Islay distillery’s output. Myriads of tiny citrus-flavored lightning strikes burst forth from that misleading doughy mass, skittering about and leaving hints of caramelized brown sugar in their wake. This is very nice! (8.5/10)

Palate: The first sip skips right past the front of the tongue and gathers as a light and sweet vegetable broth in my cheeks. Leeks? Subsequent sips remain quiet in the front except for a noticeable oily coating that’s building up there. (8.5/10)

Finish: Faint hints of gather in the back of the mouth… perhaps some of the veggies used for the stock were roasted? Mostly, though, there is a salty residue on the tongue and a deep warmth in my chest. Quite lovely. This whisky is surprisingly quiet given it’s high-powered ABV but it definitely works for me. (8.5/10)

Balance: It’s a strange thing to say but this whisky is oddly convincing in its lack of pronounced flavors. I am surprised at how much I like this. It’s not exactly aligned with my usual preferences which I will freely admit, lean somewhat toward the bombastic. Either way, it’s always great to have a different kind of rewarding experience! (8.5/10)

8.5

Nose

8.5/10

Palate

8.5/10

Finish

8.5/10

Balance

8.5/10