In the very far northern reaches of the Scottish highlands, where the wind is wild, the rain plentiful, and the scenery is breathtaking, you will find the Old Pulteney Distillery.

Located in the Pulteneytown area of Caithness, Wick to be precise, the Old Pulteney Distillery produces Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whisky, in a variety of different ages and expressions. There is also a hugely popular visitor centre located on Huddart Street, which actually inspired one of the Great Drams we’re going to be reviewing today.

Here at Great Drams, we know more than a thing or two about whisky, and we know a fabulous tipple when we taste one. Old Pulteney Whisky is most certainly a fabulous tipple, which is why we’re going to be looking at some of their most popular releases in more detail.

With its coastal influences evident from the second you take that first sniff, it’s easy to see why Old Pulteney stands out so much. It’s a whisky that isn’t afraid to be different and is a whisky that celebrates its history, and embraces its coastal location, rather than shying away from it.

Old Pulteney Distillery – Giving Thanks to the Sea

Established in the year 1826, the distillery was actually established in the name of Sir William Pulteney, despite the fact that he passed away more than two decades before the distillery was founded, in 1805.

Because of its coastal location, the distillery, situated in the far northern reaches of the Highlands, could only be accessed by boat. In fact, it was once the most northerly distillery in all of Scotland.

Located on the shores of north-eastern Scotland, the distillery used to have to have its barley shipped over via boat. In fact, in the early days, many of the workers at the distillery were employed primarily as fishermen, specialising in Herring. On a side note, if you’ve never tried smoked herring before, you simply must, as it puts any supermarket smoked salmon to shame. Pair it up with a fine single malt, such as those we’re reviewing today, and you have a match made in heaven.

Anyways, back to our history lesson. The distillery uses water which is sourced from the nearby Loch hempriggs. It is incredibly pure and soft, and helps give their whisky its unmistakable character. Remember how we said this distillery celebrates its roots? Well, another example is the fact that the distillery gets its water from an old mill lade which was constructed by legendary Scottish engineer Thomas Telford.  

The whisky produced here is unpeated and is aged by the sea. Because of this, you can expect plenty of coastal influences in the finished product. Make no mistake about it, it’s a wonderful wee dram and sticking with just one glass requires more willpower than we here at Great Drams can muster up, that’s for sure.

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky Range

Old Pulteney age their whisky right by the sea, primarily in American oak and Spanish oak casks in a racked warehouse along with a traditional dunnage warehouse.

Incidentally, a dunnage is like a scaled-down version of a warehouse, much like you would find centuries ago. It is much smaller in height (roughly 3 barrels stacked on top of one another). Typically, they have a slate roof, thick stone walls, and an earthen floor.

The dunnage is designed to promote superior air circulation, and because of its size, means that the barrels have to be shifted and moved by hand as there simply isn’t room to get a forklift inside. Plus, we’re not sure how well a forklift’s wheels would handle the earthen floor of the dunnage either (though it would probably perform better than many of the rear-wheel drive cars we get in this country when we get more than a light dusting of snow).

Anyway, Old Pulteney have both a dunnage and a racked warehouse, and because of their coastal location, you get plenty of maritime seaside influences shining through in the finished product. So, expect plenty of salty, brine-rich, seaweed-y notes in many of the drams we’re about to review.