This part two of my Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) journey with Old Pulteney - the first bottle, I really didn't care for. This one is filed under their "oily and coastal" category, nicknamed "Shades of Black" (oooooh) and aged for 11 years in ex-bourbon casks, then finished for 2 years in a first-fill ex-PX hogshead. This is similar to the previous bottle, which was categorized as "Sweet, Fruity, and Mellow." In that bottle, I felt the essential character of the Old Pulteney spirit was lost. I am therefore heartened to see this listed as oily, coastal. This is presented at 59.2% (excellent!). Let's explore...
Nose: Richly sherried - that finishing cask definitely is put to hard work here: golden raisins, old cognac, citrus flecks, wood tannins, and rock salt. The longer this sits in the glass, the more it unwinds, and the more I like it. A very delicious nose - rich and balanced.
Mouthfeel: Thick, viscous.
Palate: Ahhhh... there's the Old Pulteney I remember. Salty, with loads of candied ginger. Sweet malt sugar. Caramel apples. With water, close-grained oak and espresso. The sherry is also still present, although lessened - the golden raisins from before, figs, dates. This is as balanced as the previous SMWS Old Pulteney was unbalanced - sweet and salty. Unsure about "black," though.
Finish: Cigar wrappers, close-grained oak, pepper, sweet raisins combine for a medium-length finish. Quite tasty.
Verdict: This is a good sipper, a good dram in general. I quite like "Shades of Black," which marries the oily, coastal, briny style of Old Pulteney with the sweetness of sherry finishing - this time, entirely successfully. I celebrate it.
No comments:
Post a Comment