“A Shot in the Dark”
Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Old Pulteney Duncansby Head Lighthouse
Type: Single Malt
Age: NAS
Alcohol: 46%
Colour: Pale Gold (Natural Colour).
Nose: There are Sherry notes but I think that this Whisky mainly matured in Ex-Bourbons casks. It could also be that the Ex-Sherry casks used were not very active or that this Old Pulteney merely received a Sherry Cask finish. I don't encounter many coastal influences as well although I find traces of Salt and Smoke. What I do get is Sweet Barley, Butterkekse (Butter Biscuits), Cereal Bars containing Dried Fruits, Honey, Coconut and Chocolate, Plum Jam, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Oak, Dried Apricots, Ripe Apples, Citrus Peel and light Pepper. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's not bad but it's not very exciting as well. There's a Young and Sweet feel to the Nose. The Aromas have not yet fully developed. I also would never identify this as an Old Pulteney in a blind Tasting Session. It smells like your average Highlander/Speysider. Be sure to give this Malt enough time in the glass before Nosing. And, finally, I also sensed a very faint Sulphur note. Nothing serious though.
Taste: Young, quite Sweet and Creamy in the beginning. But soon after a "Hot" Bitterness pops up. I find Sweet Barley, Butterkekse, Salted Butter, Ripe Apples, Mixed Citrus Peel, Toffee, Vanilla, Dried Fruits, Nougat, Pepper, Cardamom, Cloves, Mint, Alcohol and Oak.
Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Hot and Spicy with Orange Peel, Vanilla, Oak, Malt, Dried Fruits, Nuts, Salted Butter, Orange Peel, Toffee, Nougat, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Menthol and Cardamom. Dry after a while with traces of Espresso and Dark Chocolate.
I added a little Water and on the Nose I find additional Malt as well as some Peach. More Plum Jam and Coconut as well. Palate and Finish become too Thin however. Add some Water for Nosing purposes only.
Rating: 82
Nose: 21 – Taste: 20 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 20.5
General Remarks:
The Old Pulteney Distillery was founded in 1826 in Wick by James Henderson but was rebuilt in 1958. Over the years it changed hands many times but since 2006 it's owned by Thai Beverages PLC. The core range of the distillery consists of the 12, the 17, the 21 and the 35 Years old. In August 2013, Old Pulteney launched the NAS Lighthouse series, originally for the Travel Retail shops only. There are 3 Non Chill-Filtered expressions, all named after lighthouses around Wick. The Noss Head matures in Ex-Bourbon Casks, the Duncansby Head in a mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks and the Pentland Skerries in Ex-Sherry Casks. The latter was replaced by the Dunnet Head in 2015. The Duncansby Head sells at around 70 US Dollars (September 2015).
Jan van den Ende October 26, 2015
General Remarks:
The Old Pulteney Distillery was founded in 1826 in Wick by James Henderson but was rebuilt in 1958. Over the years it changed hands many times but since 2006 it's owned by Thai Beverages PLC. The core range of the distillery consists of the 12, the 17, the 21 and the 35 Years old. In August 2013, Old Pulteney launched the NAS Lighthouse series, originally for the Travel Retail shops only. There are 3 Non Chill-Filtered expressions, all named after lighthouses around Wick. The Noss Head matures in Ex-Bourbon Casks, the Duncansby Head in a mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks and the Pentland Skerries in Ex-Sherry Casks. The latter was replaced by the Dunnet Head in 2015. The Duncansby Head sells at around 70 US Dollars (September 2015).
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: This type of NAS whiskies is becoming the rule rather than the exception. Fancy name, nice story and a higher than usual ABV. But all this can't disguise the fact that we are talking about a young and underdeveloped whisky. And with a Peppery price tag! Does that make this Duncansby Head a bad whisky? No, it doesn't. But be prepared for the fact that this Old Pulteney is Young, Edgy and Hot. I also miss the Coastal nuances that usually distinguishes this distillery from its peers. It's extremely hard to recognise this Single Malt as an Old Pulteney. That's why I called this post "A Shot in the Dark". Despite the fact that Duncansby Head is a Lighthouse!
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