Whisky Review: Pulteney 9 Years Old Original Bourbon Barrel – The Octave Project

• Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Pulteney distillery
• Bottling: A. D. Rattray, The Octave Project
• ABV: 58.9%
• Cost: £30 for 5 x 3cl

What they say

This set of 30ml little dram samples of Pulteney single malt are a result of The Octave Project. The Pulteney spirit was originally matured in a Bourbon Hogshead before being divided between four different Octave casks. Specially commissioned from the coopers for our Project, each Octave used oak staves taken from a larger cask that had previously contained PX Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, Rioja or Rum. One portion of whisky from the original cask was retained to enable a point of comparison.

Enjoy and compare these intense new flavours alongside the original Bourbon cask… savour the major and minor notes.

What I say

Similar to the Arran Octave project previously reviewed this set is composed of 5 x 3cl drams starting with a sample from the original Bourbon barrel, distilled at Pulteney distillery and matured for a minimum of 9 years, before cask finishing in 4x different ‘seasoned’ Octave casks a small portion of the original barrel was kept for comparison. The remainder due to their time in the Octaves are 10 years old.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Very light Champagne gold (3/20), fine beads/tears and very fine legs.
• Nose: Sweet and coastal with a faint hint of wood smoke, salted caramel, toffee, sweet biscuity malt, cereal barley, slightly fry and dusty like linen or hessian rope, lemon and apple fruits.
• Taste: Creamy, banana and salted caramel ice cream, vanilla, malty, a touch of lime and dry spiced cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, smoked sea salt and toasted oak wood.
• Finish: Long, warming, toasted cinnamon teacakes with salted caramel sauce.

Overall

A great and classic Pulteney expression, malty, fruity, coastal and vanilla from the bourbon barrel – I kept picking up a hint of wood smoke or toasted oak in here too.

Score 84/100

Shop for Pulteney – The Octave Project (opens A.D. Rattray)

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