Old Pulteney 17 years old is made up of around 90% refill American bourbon barrels and a small percentage of refill oloroso / PX casks.
Old Pulteney 17 yo (46%, OB 2010)
Nose: very feminine compared to the
12 years old or WK209, also lighter and fresher. None of the beefy notes. Instead lots of vanilla and wax (how far is Clynelish distillery from Wick?). Pears and a little apricot. Even some tropical estery notes. Then it develops more grassy and austere notes. Very nice. Mouth: full-bodied, oily attack. Fruity (apples) and vanilla again. Honey. Clearly noticeable oak: some tannins, many spices (cinnamon, nutmeg). Beautiful balance. Finish: quite long with a little chocolate and lingering spices.
This Old Pulteney 17 years old is maybe the least typical member of the core range. So be it. The vanilla / wax / fruit combo really does it for me. A great dram worth the extra investment over the 12yo.
Around € 65.
Score: 86/100
This blog is my personal collection of impressions, written while searching for the ultimate single malt whisky.
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