Old Pulteney 15 Year

Federal Wines and Spirits, located on Beacon Hill in Boston, is known for an exceptional whiskey selection. Last week I was in downtown Boston with just enough time to make a quick first visit before a business dinner. Beacon Hill is a beautiful area and FWS is located in an attractive stone building. But I entered a scene reminiscent of a downtrodden bodega - small and cramped, zero decor, and bottles randomly strewn across shelves. But as my eyes focused, gems were revealed. On the messy shelves sat a HIghland Park Fire next to a Yamazaki 18. There were vintage bottles of Ardbeg, a Mortlach 25, Springbanks up to 21 years, a Macallan Rare Cask, and numerous high-end drams from bottlers I've never heard of. I was quickly greeted by an older gentleman behind the counter. Him: "Looking for anything in particular?" Me (at a loss for words): "No." Him: "Well, what do you like?" Me (at a loss for cogent thoughts): "I like a lot of things...and wow, you have a lot of amazing whiskeys." Him: "We have a lot more that aren't out on the shelves, so it would help if you and I had a dialogue". Fortunately, I recovered my ability to make meaningful conversation, and our discussion commenced. Somewhere along the way, I noted I recently tried and very much enjoyed Old Pulteney 17. He smiled. "We just got the new line", he said, revealing a bottle of the new 15 from behind the counter that was about a third full. Pointing to the low level of remaining juice, he told me the bottle had just been opened two days prior. "It's VERY good," he said as he reached for a plastic cup and gave me a pour. VERY good indeed. I purchased a bottle and headed to dinner. I opened it the next night for a more relaxed and deliberate sampling. On the nose, there is sea air, brown sugar, and sherried fruit notes. The palate has the same notes as the nose, plus some toffee, raisins, and a hint of dark chocolate on the finish. It's certainly different than the Old Pulteney 12 or the 17, but retains many of the key characteristics of both, with the saltiness being the most notable. Compared to the 17, I like the 15 just a bit better. It has stronger sherry barrel notes, and I enjoy those notes very much. Those who prefer a bit more oak influence will likely favor the 17. Overall, this is a fantastic new dram, a keeper for sure. And a great start to my dialog with the good folks at FWS, to which I will certainly return.

Old Pulteney tasting event, Sydney, February 26, 2020, Whisky #3 Nose: A very maritime nose – brine, minerality, flinty rocks, yeasty bread. Toffee and cocoa, light fruitcake and mild spice. Some spirity notes. Palate: Full spicy/sweet entry with a foundation of dry brine and tannin. Sourdough bread, dark-chocolate dipped candied orange peel, green apple peel and salt-water taffy as it unfolds. Water greatly improved the palate for me, adding considerable balancing sweetness and an impressive density to the texture, but still retaining the fundamentally dry character. Finish: Medium. Very dry, briny and earthy finish with a touch of orange marmalade. The nose is reminiscent of the 12 year old expression but with greater heft – richer, rounder, sweeter, etc. – but it has formidable dry quality. Very much the 12 year old's big brother. For a 15 year old this is very spirit driven and on the palate the dryness really becomes apparent with the brine notes turning astringent and acerbic in the finish. This is being marketed (and priced) as more-or-less the replacement for the old 17 year expression, but in my view it’s nothing at all like it, and nowhere near as good (the 18 year is much more the replacement, but it also falls short). Still, it should be judged on its own merits and not in comparison. This has received restrained sherry treatment, spending 13 1/2 years in ex-bourbon and then 1 1/2 years in ex-sherry (both first fill). The brand rep at the tasting let drop that they source the sherry casks from the same bodega as Glenfarclas, which means they are ex-oloroso from Bodegas José y Miguel Martin. The bourbon casks are a variety, but Buffalo Trace feature. A good expression, but at the price not fantastic value. Some folks at the tasting event liked this a lot but while I enjoyed it, it left me just little cold and I’d not buy a bottle. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow. Virtual Whisky Tasting Saturday 25th July 2020). Nose: Coffee, sultanas, toffee, salt Palate: Green apples, raisins, salt, caramel, mineral oil Finish: Medium long finish, more of the fruit and raisins with some added salt and pepper. Smooth and chocolatey aftertaste. This is a very nice whisky. It is more of a sipper than a session whisky, but it sits somewhere in between for me. It has a lovely creamy mouthfeel and a nice body to it that is missing in the 12y/o. I still miss the 17y/o which was retired from the range a few years ago, but I think this is the standout of their standard range (although the NAS Huddart is also very good). I had tasted this at an Old Pultney tasting back in 4th June 2019 at DRAM! Glasgow. I liked it enough to buy a bottle then, and I recently bought another to replace the one I'd finished. Out of the 6 drams on the tasting, this achieved 0% of the vote for favourite which made it dead last, but the common consensus was that all 6 were really too close to call. I put this a very close second.

The nose is Highland or Speyside bourbon-cask scotch, with a coastal, salty character. The palate is pretty much the same, with a full mouthfeel. Barrel spice and salt in the finish. If this were peated (sigh, wish), this could be a contender to an HP15 (though, I've never tasted the latter). It's that good. Thanks for the experience @jonwilkinson7309 , you're a gentleman with taste. 50ml sample. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

This has a delightful nose - it's woody and spicy, with maritime notes. The barley malt is definitely present, but it's wrapped in oak. There is a little bit of mustiness with a hint of peanuts/peanut shells. Perhaps just a touch of vanilla. I can taste the classic Pulteney flavor, it's salty - the whisp of smoke is not really here in the older whiskey, but the extra wood in the finish makes up for it - this is a spicy whiskey- the spice is somewhere between cinnamon and black pepper- kind of a mix between the two but with the sharper edges filed off. It's really pleasant, it leaves a long, spicy, woody but herbal finish. The mouth feel is oily, but it's almost like it's got a few layers - a thinner, malty side that fades into an oilier, woodier, more coastal side.

Noses with orange blossom honey, tart apple, pie crust. On the nose I don’t think I get any of the salty note that I associate with Pulteney. By way of suggestion, maybe very faintly. The mouthfeel has a nice oiliness. Honey builds into some spice on the back end. Toffee. A little fruit shows up on the finish. I may be talking myself into an ever-so-slight salty note, but it’s certainly not prominent. Good whisky. Good value at the $70 I paid for it. I think I’m in the 3.75-4 range.