Blind Tasting #15: Old Pulteney 2006 10 Years Old Hand-filled
Argh! I mean, it wasn’t a very typical Old Pulteney, yet it bums me out that I didn’t recognize a whisky from what is essentially one of my favourite distilleries. The Blind Tasting Competition, always good for a couple of humbling moments.
I mean, I knew it was young, bourbon matured and very high in alcohol percentage. But that leaves a whole lot of possible distilleries, right? Finally I settled for a 9-year-old Glen Elgin bottled at 62 percent. Too bad that’s a Speyside whisky, instead of a Highlander.
Still picked up points for age though, but with only three samples left, the top 4 (of which I’m part) is separated by just 26 points. It’ll be an exciting last few days of this competition.
Old Pulteney 2006 10 Years Old (64,4%, OB ‘Hand-filled’, C#730)
Nose: Quite sweet and enticing, although it does need to open up a bit more. Sweet barley, wine gums, stewed apple, and there’s some dry apple cider in here as well. Water makes it sweeter, more candy-esque and more vanilla.
Taste: Powerful arrival, no doubt because of the high alcohol percentage. Water is pretty much obligated to tame this. Vanilla, nutty (almonds), some subtle spices as well (nutmeg), and milk chocolate too.
Finish: Lingering spices, before returning to a fruitier profile..
Rating: 79
A high alcohol percentage doesn’t have to be a problem, but this is just a bit too much. I don’t mind adding water to whisky, but I don’t think it should be almost obligated.
The photo is of a different handfilled Old Pulteney, but you get the gist. They all look the same 🙂
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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