Old Pulteney 8yo ‘Pure Highland Malt’ Gordon & Macphail 100 proof

Isn’t it something that once upon a time Gordon & Macphail could throw together large batches of young whiskies at NAS or 8yo, 80 or 100 proof, and you the drinker would not be put off by immature spirit or crude finishing. Old Pulteney bottled before 1980 here, very likely early 70s or late 60s distillate. Perfectly mature and integrated, showing earthy phenols or a clean dirtiness if you will, with lamp oil, workshop rags, more than a small lick of peat and smoking coal. It’s a veritable working engine shop. Grease, petrol, dirty sand in wet sackcloth, lit cigarette, preserved persimmons, dried parsley and dry ryebread with a smidge of butter. Seems a degree more peaty than recent Pulteneys. Also a hint of medicinal quinine, surprisingly complex. Some salt on the finish and then it gets more saline. Unjustly ignored. Beautiful beautiful old whisky. 92 pts