Old Pulteney 21 Year Old
Diesel
0 386
Review by @markjedi1
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall86
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- Brand: Old Pulteney
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Highland
- ABV: 46%
The best whisky in the world! No less than 97.5 points. Well, in 2012. According to Jim Murray. Could it be? I doubt it, but you never know. We will take our time for this one. It is a mix of bourbon and sherry matured whisky.
The first whiff is good, but not impressive. White fruit, grains, marzipan, light hint of seaweeds and some oak. A trace of smoke, all the way in the back. Vanilla, ginger, aniseed. Develops nicely, though. Roasted nuts, leather and even a hint of peat if you ask me. Banana peel. Needs a lot of time, though.
The attack is sweet and peppery. Loads of citrus, now. And very briney. Despite the modest ABV, it packs some punch. Raisins, orange peel, mint. Caramel and vanilla. This is actually quite complex and very good!
The finish is mildly drying with quite some woodspice.
It is a diesel. It takes time to warm up, but once it is at cruising speed, it is very good indeed. But it is not the best whisky I ever tasted, which makes it the victim of its own success, I suppose, as it will never be able to fulfil the sky high expectations bestowed upon it by some liquid prophet.
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I 100% agree - it is a very good malt, but by no means the best. In. The. World. I was told (by a very well known whisky writer and journalist, who shall remain anonymous) that the sample that Pulteney sent Murray was very different from what is bottled for consumers. Interesting.