Old 1990 Vintage

Old Pulteney's 1990 Vintage captures a bold experiment from the late 1980s, when the distillery acquired a parcel of ex-Islay casks — both ex-sherry and ex-bourbon — that had previously held heavily peated whisky. Rather than fill them conventionally, Pulteney chose to charge them with new make spirit, testing whether the residual peat character would imprint on the distillery's characterful Highland character. Twenty-six years of maturation in these casks, kissed by the sea spray of Wick's northern coast, yielded something unexpected: a whisky that marries maritime minerality and subtle smoke with mature orchard fruit and honey.

The nose reveals red and black berries, acacia honey, and citrus notes, with hints of menthol and mineral salt. On the palate, full-bodied and initially sweet, it develops cooked apples, apricots, and crumbly spice, underpinned by mature oak and toffee. The finish is long and smoky, with sweet pepper and malty depth.