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Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney Costal Series: Pineau de Charentes

€90.90 $97.96 £77.89

Honey

Treacle, toffee, caramel, heather

The sweetness of honey is one of the most common flavours in Scotch whisky…particularly in younger examples of the popular Speyside style that forms the basis of many of the most popular blends, but also in the Highlands and, perhaps most characteristically, the Lowlands. The Island whiskies, too, often express a honey-like sweetness in their lighter forms. This is usually the result of the natural sugars present in malted barley, and so is generally more apparent in younger whiskies (up to 15-18 years of age) before too much of heftier flavours like wood, spice or dried fruit are imparted from the cask.

A richer, toffee-like sweetness often derives from European oak casks (generally ex-sherry), while American oak (ex-bourbon or newer sherry casks) produces a lighter, vanilla-tinged flavour that complements the natural sugars of the barley. The marshmallow-like sweetness of bourbon often translates into a lighter honey-like flavour in Scotch matured in ex-bourbon casks.

Good examples of single malts that carry strong flavours of honey are the classic Glenlivet and its many Speyside brethren; the lightness and softness of Lowlanders Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan; and the heathery sweetness of younger Highland Parks or some Highlanders like Dalwhinnie or Glen Garioch. In addition, virtually all of the biggest names in blended whisky are marked by this kind of flavour - the house styles of Johnnie Walker, J&B and Chivas Regal all depend on that sweet, youthful Speyside core. All of them are likely to go well with lighter cigars, particularly those with sweet flavours of their own, such as Hoyo de Monterrey.

 

Spice

Pepper, cinnamon, ginger, herbs

Aged Scotch whisky is often much softer and easier on the palate than its alcohol strength would imply. So much so, in fact, that sometimes you need something to liven things up a bit. Luckily, a good number of single malts possess lively spicy flavours, some of them in great enough quantities to challenge tequila (naming no names). Others are a little more restrained, but still with the warming tingle of Christmas pudding and mulled wine.

A lengthy maturation, particularly in a large cask (e.g. ex-sherry), generally means more oxygen is allowed into the cask to react with the spirit and develop more complex flavours. These may include spicy flavours - lignin compounds break down over time, releasing more intense spicy notes into the spirit, while the high acidity and relatively low alcohol content of sherry often serve to bring out spicier notes from the cask wood. Clove and cinnamon flavours often derive from eugenols produced via toasting - that is, firing the wood of the casks over a medium heat for anything between 15 to 45 minutes (to be contrasted with charring, where the wood is fired for a very short time over a much hotter flame). Some of the most intense spicy flavours come not from the cask at all, but from the still: a lighter spirit (such as that produced in a tall still) will often have more kick than something more rounded.

Spicy characteristics are generally used to complement other strong flavours, such as dried fruit (e.g. Aberlour) or peat (Ardbeg), but the style is probably best showcased by the expansive and varied Highland region. Highland malts generally eschew excessive subtlety for bold and full flavours, and so often showcase strongly spicy styles. The best examples by far are in the Northern Highlands: Glenmorangie has a light spice that is perhaps better described as herbal; but a small distance to the north, Clynelish and Old Pulteney provide a salty, firey yet still sweet style that prickles all over the palate. Their eastern counterparts, such as Glen Garioch or Glendronach, retain a gingery warmth that it is not so much restorative as elixir.

The strength and spark of such potions pairs very well with similarly lively cigars: Partagas is an obvious match, as is Ramon Allones; but the peppery notes of a Cohiba or Bolivar will also go very well.

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Old Pulteney Costal Series: Pineau de Charentes, 70cl, 46% abv

 

The Coastal Series launches with Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes,...read more

Tasting Notes

Maturation:
This limited edition expression from Old Pulteney is matured in ex-bourbon casks and wine casks from the oceanic Charente region north of Bordeaux.


Producer Tasting Notes:

Nose:
Fragrant & rich, with honey sweetness and vanilla at the base. Intense fruitiness starts jammy & stewed, and develops into candied oranges & sticky balsamic raisins. Hints of toasted spices & powder pepper complete this stunning profile.

Palate:
Viscous & lingering - Warm baking spices lead, followed by gentle nuttiness, overall reminiscent of dukkah. Beautifully structured oakiness is perfumed with a wine reduction and balanced by creamy vanilla.

Finish:
Caramelised hazelnuts & ground spices grow into an immense, lingering finish. It tails off into a broad sweetness, drying ever so slowly towards a savoury finale of coastal minerality.

Product Info

Old Pulteney Costal Series: Pineau de Charentes, 70cl, 46% abv

 

The Coastal Series launches with Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes, bringing flavours of the French coastline to The Maritime Malt. In new territory for the brand, Old Pulteney’s whisky is further matured in ex-Pineau des Charentes wine casks, carrying echoes of the iconic, sweet aperitif native to the Charente-Maritime region on the southwest coast of France, and intertwining them beautifully with the flavours of the North that Old Pulteney is known for.

Taking on the same careful craftsmanship and process that goes into every expression, Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes is the most innovative cask maturation yet, offering a lighter, sweeter taste layered on the classic Old Pulteney base.

This release is fragrant and rich with sweet honey and vanilla base notes. Intense fruitiness with sticky balsamic raisins on the nose leads into oak-perfumed wine reduction and creamy vanilla. Caramelised hazelnuts and ground spices grow into an immense, lingering finish.
It tails off into a broad sweetness, drying slowly towards a savoury finale of coastal minerality.

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Delivery Information

Robert Graham uses reputable courier services and we ship worldwide. Within the UK we aim to deliver within 2 working days. International delivery times vary depending on destination. After your purchase has been processed, you will receive an email notification with your delivery tracking number.

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Note: Regrettably we cannot ship cigars or any other tobacco products to the USA and Canada.

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