Old Pulteney Duncansby Head Single Malt Whisky 1 l

Close to the small village John o’ Groats in the very north-east end of Scotland, a lighthouse named Duncansby Head was built in 1924.

Ever since it was piloting sailors through the sea lane between the Scottish mainland and the southern part of the Orkney Islands. Furthermore, it lent its name to a single malt made by the Old Pulteney Distillery.

The Old Pulteney Duncansby Head is a Highland whisky with a natural bronze sheen. Its aroma combines sweet dark fruits, ripe apples, raisins, hints of caramel and a soft spiciness.

On the palate the dram starts off with a powerful spicy flavour and a slightly bitter oakiness. Full and sweet notes of honey and some chocolate arise after a short moment. The finish lasts long and preserves a slightly bitter mouthfeel as well as chocolate nuances.

The Old Pulteney Duncansby Head is part of the lighthouse series. Each whisky of this series matured in a different style and has therefore a certain character.

The representative of the Duncansby Head lighthouse aged in American ex-bourbon cask and Spanish ex-sherry casks. Thus, it developed such a nice colour and its complex flavour.

The other two single malts, the Old Pulteney Noss Head and Old Pulteney Pentland Skerries, matured either in ex-bourbon or ex-sherry barrels.

James Henderson built the Old Pulteney Distillery in 1826. He chose the town Wick and made use of one major advantage of that area.

In Wick a huge port served as gateway to the world and for Henderson it was the chance to ship his products out to foreign customers but also to ship in barley and assure a constant supply.

Henderson’s family kept the company almost a century and sold it James Watson in 1920. The following decades, the business was struggling because of the prohibition in Wick but it recovered especially during the 1950s.