Old Pulteney Navigator, 12yo, 17yo, and 21yo Review

 If there’s one distillery that’s synoymous with the sea, it has to be Old Pulteney.  Its whisky bottles are adorned with images of fishing vessels, seagulls, compasses.  It even calls itself “the Maritime Malt.”  The 190-year-old distillery, located in Wick, a town in northeastern Scotland, goes as far as mentioning how the salty sea air imparts extra flavor notes to its whisky.

The bottles are inspired by the shape of the distillery’s stills.  Their shape provide lot of reflux, which make the spirit fragrant.  The distillery’s copper pot still is the only one in Scotland that doesn’t have a swan neck.  Its also one of the few distilleies in Scotland using worm tub condensers instead of the more common shell and tube condensers. Old Pulteney uses mostly ex-bourbon casks for maturation, as well as a small amount of ex-sherry casks.   

We’re looking at their core range, which is comprised of the NAS Navigator, as well as the 12-year, 17-year, and 21-year old expressions.  Except for the 12-year, all are bottled at 46% and un-chill filtered.  The 12-year old is bottled at a slightly lower 43% abv.  Old Pulteney Navigator mentions natural color on its label.  Judging by the differing shades of amber of the other bottles, IF the distillery is adding caramel coloring, it’s not heavy handed.

OLD PULTENEY NAVIGATOR

The only NAS whisky in Old Pulteney’s core range, Navigator is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.  Bountiful crisp orchard fruits leap out of the glass, brightened further by orange zest.  Hints of nuts, dried fruits, and vanilla round out the nose.  The palate is less sweet than the nose suggests, with vanilla, salted caramel, and dried fruits.  A certain flintiness runs throughout, leading into the slightly dry and citrus-tinged finish.  I like this expression, though I have to admit it’s not as complex as I’d hoped.  8/10. $55

OLD PULTENEY 12-YEAR-OLD

This 12-year-old expression is aged solely in ex-bourbon casks, which means it should provide a clear picture of the character of the spirit.  The nose suggests honey, salty sea air, some minerals, and a slight floral note.  Taste-wise, toffee, vanilla, and sweet malt are dominant. As found in the nose, a flintiness appears here mid-palate.  A touch of Mexican chocolate adds some richness and bitterness.  The long finish leaves behind some semi-sweet honeyed malt notes.  Like Navigator, Old Pulteney 12-year-old isn’t overly complex, but is quite enjoyable.  Those just getting into Scotch would do themselves a great disservice by not trying this expression from Old Pulteney.  7.5/10. $45

OLD PULTENEY 17-YEAR-OLD

Old Pulteney 17-year-old is matured in both ex-bourbon and ex-Spanish sherry casks.  The nose here is quite wonderful with lots of dried fruits, dark honey, vanilla custard, and roasted nuts.  Butterscotch candy and a fragrant floral note appear with a little airtime.  The full-bodied whisky provides a rich tasting experience.  There are the heavier salted caramel and dark fruits, as well as baking spices and vanilla bean.  Edible rose petals add a slight delicate character.  The finish is long, sweet, and spicy.  The additional age and sherry cask maturation really elevate this whisky from its younger siblings.  Rich, elegant and complex, Old Pulteney is highly recommended.  9/10. $119

OLD PULTENEY 21-YEAR-OLD

Whisky writer Jim Murray picked Old Pulteney 21 as his World Whisky of the Year back in 2012.  This expression is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and ex-Fino sherry casks.  Fino sherry is a dry sherry compared to the commonly used Oloroso sherry, which is a bit nuttier.  The nose is fruity and fragrant, with hints of stewed pears, burnt orange peel, spice and vanilla.  The entry features both stewed and candied orchard fruits, orange zest, honey, and oak spice.  Some oak tannins emerge towards the end of the palate and into the dry finish, which leave behind bittersweet malt and citrus-like notes.  Like the sherry casks it uses, Old Pulteney 21-year-old is a drier than its siblings.  I’d also call it more elegant, as its fruit notes come across as a touch more refined than the 17-year.  That said, my palate slightly prefers the 17-year over this one, as that whisky is a richer tasting experience.  8.5/10 $179

Oldpulteney.com

Thanks to Old Pulteney for the Navigator, 12-year, and 21-year samples.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barrell Whiskey Batch 004 Review


Barrell Craft Spirits founder Joe Beatrice likes having fun with his company’s whiskey releases.  Each batch is different, and each one interesting.  Batch 004 sees an 11-year-old whiskey finished in rum and rye barrels.  The whiskies that went into this blend were distilled in Tennessee and Indiana.  Why just a whiskey and not a bourbon?  It’s because used barrels were utilized for maturation.  To be a bourbon, only new barrels can be considered (in addition to several other criteria).  Transparency is something the company believes in, as they’ve disclosed all of the information above.  What they haven’t mentioned is the mash bill breakdown other than corn, rye, and malted barley were used.

The rum barrels used for secondary maturation were left over from Barrell Rum’s delicious first batch, which just won Best Overproof Rum at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (Barrell Bourbon Batch 011 also won Best Bourbon at the same competition).  Each whiskey from Tennessee and Indiana underwent a secondary maturation in these rum barrels or rye whiskey barrels, resulting in four different combinations.  This batch was blended using various barrels of the finished whiskies.  Barrell Whiskey Batch 004 is bottled at a cask strength of 120.6 proof.

The rum finish is evident on the nose, providing burnt sugar cane and green banana notes to buttered sweet cornbread.  Hints of tropical fruit mingle with caramel chews, vanilla and some spice.  On the palate, this whiskey is…unusual.  Just like the nose, the foundation whiskey provides a great base to let those finishing casks shine, with its notes of corn pudding, vanilla, and baking spice.  The rum casks add green plaintains and sugar cane, while the rye casks provide a slightly sharp spice note along with some herbs.  The long finish is a little hot at first, leaving behind some spiced tropical fruit.

Rum and rye whiskey cask finishes? You know, it mostly works.  The light character imparted by used barrels utilized for the whiskey’s primary maturation leave room for those exotic and spicy flavors and aromas left behind by the secondary maturation.  The only negative is the finish, which is a little rough for me, even with a splash of water.   I’ve said it before, Joe and his team are always looking to release something interesting.  Mission accomplished here.  8.5/10

Barrellbourbon.com

Thanks to Barrell Bourbon for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 011 Review


Gaining a larger following with each batch, Barrell Craft Spirits has released their latest bourbon.  Batch 011 is a six-year-old bourbon distilled in Tennessee.  Like previous releases, Batch 011 is bottled at cask strength.  In this case 57.4%, or 114.8 proof.  The mash bill for this one is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley.  The high amount of rye should provide a bit of extra spice.  Let’s see how it fares.

The nose kicks things off with spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves) thanks to the rye grain, followed by thick caramel.  A little airtime develops a bit of sweet corn, along with a buttery dough that reminds me of unbaked cinnamon rolls.  The entry is a little hot, with initial notes of light caramel and slightly sharp rye spice.  There’s a little development beyond that, with hints of cinnamon candy and some herbs emerging.  The finish is chest-warming, and surprisingly clean, with just a short burst of light brown sugar and cinnamon.

In our current “older is better” age (not true, by the way), a six-year-old bourbon might grab the attention of those looking for older releases.  There’s definitely quality in the crafting of the whiskies that make up this batch.  Batch 011 might not turn heads, but it is a beautiful example of a delicious, classic bourbon and shouldn’t be overlooked.  8/10

Barrellbourbon.com

Thanks to Barrell Bourbon for the sample!  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.