Old Pulteney 21 Year Old

Color: Dull copper (a bit cloudy)

Nose: Briny (being very representative of the distillery's location) with soft fruit notes (pears) and something sweetly floral in the background; just the barest whiff of smoke.

Palate: Light body. Initial saltiness is countered by very light honey sweetness. The oak makes an appearance mid-palate followed by an intense spice buzz.

Finish: Quite long for such a light malt. Salt and spices lead the way with some tannins late.

This was Jim Murray's 2012 Whisky of the Year with a 97.5 rating! I was hoping for some sort of life changing whisky moment; it didn't happen. All that "manuka [and] lavender honey [and] arbutus blossom" - nary a hint. Hell, I wish I knew what an arbutus blossom was.

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