Key facts
- Old Pulteney distillery, founded in 1826, is celebrating its 200th anniversary.
- The distillery is located in Wick, Scotland, and is known for its coastal character.
- Wick had a 12-year prohibition on alcohol sales from 1922 to 1947.
- Special releases for the anniversary include a dual maturation in Manzanilla and Oloroso casks, and a 50-year-old bottling.
- Master of whisky Creation Sarah Burgess highlighted the importance of adapting to consumer preferences and challenging traditional whisky consumption rules.
Old Pulteney, a Scottish whisky distillery established in 1826 in the port of Caithness, is commemorating its 200th anniversary. Founded by entrepreneur James Henderson to serve fishermen, the distillery became a significant exporter from Wick, a town that later experienced a prolonged period of alcohol prohibition.
The distillery's identity is deeply intertwined with its coastal location, with its warehouses exposed to the salty sea air, contributing to a distinctive maritime character in its whisky. Master of whisky Creation, Sarah Burgess, emphasizes that the place, Wick, is paramount to the brand's existence.
Reflecting on its history, Old Pulteney has launched a 200th-anniversary distillery exclusive, featuring a dual maturation in Manzanilla and Oloroso sherry casks. This special release aims to capture the brand's heritage, with Burgess noting the initial challenge of achieving the right balance, ultimately combining Oloroso-matured stock with Manzanilla to achieve the desired citrus, vanilla, and deep fruit notes.
In addition to the anniversary bottling, the distillery has also released Old Pulteney 50 Years Old, its oldest-ever expression limited to 200 bottles, and a 30 Years Old bottling. Looking ahead, Burgess stresses the importance of adapting to changing consumer tastes and challenging rigid rules surrounding whisky consumption, suggesting that the spirit's versatility makes it suitable for cocktails and highballs.