If you’re looking for some ultra-aged whisky to enjoy this summer, you’re in luck because there’s no shortage of single malts aged for many decades to sip and savor. The latest comes from Old Pulteney, a coastal distillery in the north of Scotland with a cult following which just released its oldest—and most expensive—whisky to date.
Old Pulteney is celebrating its 200th anniversary of making whisky, which it has nicknamed the Maritime Malt, in the Highland region this year. So to commemorate the occasion, the distillery team decided to release a pair of truly rare and exceptional age statement expressions. The 50-year-old was assembled from four hogsheads selected by master of whisky creation Sarah Burgess. According to the distillery, the whisky was mostly matured in American oak, with just a bit of European oak in the mix. The casks had lost most of their contents to the angel’s share over half a century of maturation, with only enough liquid remaining to fill 200 bottles at 40.8 percent ABV.
Each lead crystal decanter comes in an oak case, with sand-etched waves around the bottom that are meant to represent the ocean’s influence on the whisky. Official tasting notes describe chocolate, dried fruit, creamy vanilla, and a faint wisp of coastal smoke on the nose. That’s followed by candied orange peel, oak, and more chocolate on the palate, culminating in a tropical fruit finish.
