Pulteney

Introduction:

Pulteney Distillery produces Old Pulteney Whisky, known for its fruity, dry, and slightly salty character. Often referred to as “The Maritime Malt”, the Whisky reflects its location in the center of Wick, a former herring capital. Pulteney gained recognition when the Old Pulteney 21 Years was named “Whisky of the Year” in 2011. The distillery offers a range of bottlings, including the Lighthouse Edition with expressions matured in different cask types, such as ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks.

Production:

Pulteney Distillery is situated in the heart of Wick, surrounded by other business buildings and shops. The distillery has a handcrafted production process that can be observed during tours. Its production capacity is approximately 1,800,000 liters, aiming for 1,500,000 liters in 2015.

Mashing:

The malt is milled in an almost 90 –  year – old Porteus mill before being mashed in a semi – lauter mash tun made of stainless steel with a copper canopy. The mash tun can hold five tons of malt per mash, with 19 mashes per week. The draft and pot ale are combined and sold as cattle food to local farmers.

Fermentation:

Pulteney Distillery has six washbacks, five made of Corten steel and one of stainless steel, with a total capacity of 23,000 liters. The fermentation process lasts 60 hours and utilizes dried yeast. Pulteney employs a unique approach by introducing the yeast at the same time as the mash, promoting faster reaction with the sugars.

Distillation:

Pulteney Distillery has one wash still and one spirit still, both with distinctive bulbous shapes. The wash still is heated strongly for rapid distillation, while the spirit still allows for slower distillation. Pulteney’s use of worm tubs for cooling, located outside the stillhouse and cooled with river water, contributes to the whisky’s heavier and spicier character.

Warehouses and Bottling:

Pulteney uses a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks for maturation, with Sherry casks accounting for approximately 10%. The distillery has five warehouses, including two racked warehouses with large shelves and three low dunnage warehouses with clay floors. One of the warehouses used to be a cask-making facility.

History:

Pulteney Distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson and named after Sir William Pulteney. Located in Pulteneytown, a separate town from Wick at the time, the distillery became associated with the herring fishing industry. Ownership changed hands several times, with periods of closure and reactivation. Inverhouse Distillers acquired the distillery in 1995, making Old Pulteney one of the most renowned Single Malts in the Highlands. Ownership later passed to Pacific Spirits and International Beverage Holdings (IBH), who currently own the distillery. IBH expanded the range of official releases from the distillery.

Visitor Center:

Pulteney Distillery has a visitor center with a gift shop. Tours, including the Manager’s Masterclass Tour, provide insights into the distillery’s operations, and visitors have the opportunity to hand-fill their own bottle from a selected barrel.

Visitor information:

Opening hours:

October – April
Monday – Friday 10 AM – 4 PM
May – September
Monday – Friday 10 AM – 5 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM
Tours: 10 AM and 2 PM (advanced booking recommended) or by prior appointment