This post has been brought to you by Old Pulteney. All opinions expressed are my own. The following message is intended for those 21+. Please enjoy responsibly.

Today we’re reviewing a bottle of Old Pulteney, a single malt scotch whisky, which has been aged for twelve years in bourbon oak casks. We’ll be reviewing the whisky itself, talking a little bit about what makes for a good whisky, and then covering some of the best ways to enjoy today’s bottle.

First off, what Makes for a ‘Good’ whisky? And what ‘is’ whisky, anyway?

Ask a more traditional minded spirits connoisseur what makes a ‘good’ vodka, and they’ll likely reply “odorless, flavorless, colorless” – with a caveat.

The caveat usually comes down to some variation of the following. Vodka is simply ethanol cut with water, the purer the ethanol, water, and production process, the less ‘flavor’ the vodka will have. However, the source of the ethanol ‘may’ impart some nuances into the vodka – but ‘not’ flavors, per se. Grape ethanol may not taste ‘quite’ like wheat ethanol, for example. The less thoroughly purified the ethanol (purposefully or not), the more of that original flavor will cut through.

The takeaway is that while premium vodkas may indeed take on qualities from their locales and starting ingredients, the ‘pursuit of nothingness’ defines ‘truly’ quality vodka. Simple.

There’s a life lesson in there somewhere, I’m sure.

However, what makes a ‘good’ whisky is much less well defined – caveats or not. First and foremost, this is because there is a literal world of whiskies out there. While American and Irish whiskies tend to dominate the market, and Scotch whisky is a universe unto itself, there are also Japanese, Lowlands, Canadian, and Indian whiskies worth falling in love with – and that’s just to name a few. And ‘all’ are very, very different. One might say that what makes an American whisky ‘good’ isn’t necessarily what you might be looking for in Scotch whisky or an Indian whisky.

However, perhaps an equally large problem in defining ‘quality’ in whisky is that whisky has arguably the most enthusiastic…enthusiasts. And these enthusiasts all have their own preferences, and most love different things about different whiskies. This is according to Mario Petkovski of Whiskey Reviewer.

For example, Mario explains that ‘relationship with the company’ is a top quality of a top whisky, writing that “The taste is important, but it all comes down to personal preference. This means that we should see the whole picture of the story. Relationship with the company is one of the most crucial parts of the process for choosing the best whisky.”

Personal preference, and telling a good story. Check. But with all due respect, what exactly does ‘telling a good story’ have to do with what’s in the bottle?

To that point, Mario goes on to explain that “A good whiskey should be able to hit you with a beautiful aroma and engaging flavor. It should be an experience that once it touches your mouth, every nerve in your body should be screaming in order to fathom what just happened. This means that every whisky made the right way and using high-quality ingredients using the purest water and top yeast has the potential to be great. However, that does not define the greatness of the whisky. Even if you make the highest-quality whisky, it still might not be enough if it does have a character that has the power to enhance the whole experience.”

Put another way: If you like it, it’s quality whisky. Isn’t that just another way of saying… personal preference?

Helping us define this down a bit, and in stark contrast to the “It’s only water and ethanol” philosophy behind vodka, Marta Burgues of Drinks and Co. explains that whisky should not smell ‘excessively’ of alcohol. Nor should alcohol be overly present in the mouth. She also notes that you generally get what you pay for with whisky, advising that a single malt aged for ten to twelve years, since it is “Much better to drink a little and very good, rather than a lot and cheap.”

In other words, you get way you pay for, and watch out that your whisky doesn’t taste too much of ethanol.

With all of this, I agree.

And if you’ve got the gist of what ‘really’ makes for a good whisky after all of that, you’re a better spirits connoisseur than I.

The Bottle – A Showcase

Today, we’re reviewing a single malt scotch whisky by Old Pulteney. Dubbed “The Maritime Malt,” this particular whisky has been aged for twelve years in American oak bourbon casks.

The Review – Tasting and Aromatics

To the eye, this particular scotch whisky features a copper to light gold hue, depending on the light, with faint hints of red or amber. Very pleasing to the eye, in my opinion. On pouring, smoke and oak is up front, wafting copiously off the glass – a very rustic first impression, pleasantly so. On first whiffs, what I’ll describe as “vanilla and leather” are first up, followed by sweet notes of vanilla and honeycomb. If you’re so inclined to linger longer on the nose, you may detect traces of sawdust, antique wood, and perhaps just a hint of something “briney.”

On sampling, I was surprised that “chocolate” was the first word to come to mind, but not in an overbearing or ‘sweet’ manner, but more on the ‘dusted with cocoa powder’ end of the spectrum. White pepper, something citrusy, and just a hint of what I’m forced to describe as “maritime notes” are all present. On second sampling, the maritime notes come to the fore in a very pleasant and unexpected way.

The finish is warming, with hints of toffee, brine, and honey.

How Best to Enjoy Today’s Whisky

On its own is probably my preferred way to enjoy today’s whisky. However, here are a few cocktail suggestions for the more adventurous among you.

1) The Godfather. This is a super simple, two ingredient cocktail. Combine one and half ounces of scotch whisky with a half-ounce of amaretto in a mixing glass. Stir then strain into a lowball glass and fill with ice. Garnish with a twist of citrus if desired.

2) The Rob Roy. Essentially, this is a Manhattan with scotch. Combine two ounces of scotch, one ounce of vermouth, and three dashes of angostura bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir, then strain into a coup, and garnish with a cherry.

3) The Fancy. Despite it’s name, this cocktail is actually ‘very’ simple to pull off. Combine two ounces of whisky, a half ounce of triple sec, about a half-teaspoon of sugar, and a dash of bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake until blended, then strain into a cocktail glass.

4) The Rusty Nail. It’s more or less impossible to talk about scotch whisky cocktails without talking about this little two ingredient delight. Combine one and a half ounces of scotch whisky with three quarters of an ounce of Drambuie and ice, and you’re done.