Old Pulteney Huddart Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Named after the street where the Pulteney Distillery is located in Wick, 'Huddart' is one of three new products released in 2018 along with a 15 year and 18 year old. Matured in second-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels, it was finished in barrels which formerly held heavily peated whisky. The nose suggests wood shavings, salted water biscuits, muesli and pepper with mere hints of maritime smoke, the latter more salient on the palate where it's intermixed with subtle orchard fruits, spiced citrus and a salt'n'pepper tang through the fresh, drying finish. Solid depth at 46%.

Other reviews... This NAS expression is part of the new 2018 Old Pulteney core lineup. Sweet woodsmoke, crème brûlée, green apples, and cinder toffee on the nose. The smoke is more peat-induced on the palate, with banana fritters, and subtly sprinkled with sea salt. The finish features caramel and herbal notes. 46% Alc./Vol. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2018)

...This is ex-bourbon Pulteney, probably young since there’s no age statement, finished in ex-peated casks. As for the ‘shouldn’t this rather be a blended malt then’ debate, we’ll do that later. Perhaps. Probably not. Colour: pale gold. Nose: they have a thing with these ex-peater finishes, because this works very well on the nose, really. Some apple pie that would have been baked near the ocean – or on a boat – while someone in the neighbourhood was burning lemon wood, whilst smoking eucalyptus cigarettes. Mouth: really, I find this surprisingly good. It’s as if Pulteney’s slightly coastal character was amplified, in a Spinal-Tap way. Some butterscotch too, toffee, charred US oak, salty lemons, a touch of ginger and nutmeg… All is very fine here. Finish: quite long, with a rounder texture (newish US oak indeed?) and a beautiful mentholy freshness. Comments: crikey, I seem to be enjoying this little NAS quite a lot. 86 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com