Review #247 - Old Pulteney 12 Year — Me, My Wife & Whisky

Pulteney Distillery revamped their core range of Old Pulteney branded whiskies several years ago - they dropped the tasty 17 and 21 year age statements, and now we have a 15 year old, 18 year old, and 25 year old. Still, there was one constant that continued from the prior generation to the current one: the 12 year old.

On paper, this looks like the classic entry-level single malt: price between $40 and $50, 12 year age statement, a bottling strength of 40% ABV... along with that strength, probably some chill filtration as well. There's no statement on the packaging about natural color, but the color of the whisky is relatively light - if they've added any caramel, it's been a light touch.

The box states that this is aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, so we'll be on the lookout for some baking spice flavors, as well as some possible light fruitiness; as always with Old Pulteney, there's a chance that some salt will show up, too.

Old Pulteney 12 Year

Scotland/Highlands - Single Malt

Price Paid: USD 50 (2023)

Current Locally Available Price: USD 49 (2024)

Age Statement: 12 Years

Strength: 40% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 5 times over 6 months; bottles at 100%, 90% (blind tasting), 80% (blind tasting), 70% (blind tasting), and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Soft and rounded, lots of those ex-bourbon notes: vanilla, dry wood, lemon, baked bread. There's a slightly oily side, almost bordering on lactic occasionally; later, white pepper, buttered toast, ripe bananas, and white grape. Once in a while, hints of grapeseed oil and hay.

Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thin; tart with lemon, white wine, dry vanilla, and some unripe pear. There's a sweeter side that adds butterscotch and lemon curd, maybe some cardamom; hints of honey and salt mingle in the background. Overall, light complexion, and a little lacking in strength of flavor.

Finish: Medium-short, with light oak and bourbon wood notes: vanilla, a hint of cream, clove, and lemons. Ripe pear and butterscotch candies are accent flavors, with the tiniest hint of salt.

Final Note: Really love the look of this bottle, but the liquid inside can't quite live up to those expectations. While nothing was particularly offensive, it was all a bit soft and muted - the combination of low bottling strength and standard cask regimen didn't allow much interesting flavor to come through with any power. Value is alright since this is one of the cheaper single malts in our area, but it's all a bit plain.

Our Average Rating: 5.6 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.16