Single Malt Whisky, Scotland/Highlands

Located in the heart of the port town of Wick, the Pulteney distillery takes its name from the district where it was founded in 1826. It produces a single malt whose salty, iodized character has earned it the nicknames “The Maritime Malt” and “Manzanilla of the North”. A curiosity in the whisky world, the distillery is equipped with a wash still whose gooseneck has been cut off to allow it to enter the distillation room. A perfect embodiment of the “coastal” style so characteristic of single malts from the Northern Highlands, this version sails, note after note, poetically between land and sea.

Nose : Rich, deep. Saline and herbaceous (salicornia lichen), the first nose immediately takes us to the seaside. Magnificent scents of beeswax, alfalfa and clover then mingle harmoniously. At this point, the aromatic palette flirts with peat.

Appearance : Pale gold.

Palate : Lively, full-bodied. Fleur de sel rains down on the taste buds in a medicinal (band-aid) opening. Refreshed by the acidic juice of many citrus fruits, the mid-palate stretches to milky (coconut) and floral (lavender) flavours.

Overall :Long, dense. Chalky and marine, the start of the finish pitches to the rhythm of waves washing up on the shore. Vanilla and fruit (pear, apple), the finish is gradually imbued with the ashy flavours of a burning cigar.