Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney is a malt whisky distillery in Pulteneytown, Wick, in the northern Highlands. It sits beside the Moray Firth, where the sea once carried in barley and took out casks. The site includes warehouses, stills, and a visitor centre on Huddart Street. Thomas Telford’s old mill lade brings water from Loch Hempriggs, three or four kilometres away. The distillery was the most northerly on the mainland when it opened in 1826. Its workers often fished for herring before the industry declined. The whisky is known for its clean, briny Highland character from maturing close to the coast. Awards show its quality: the 12-year-old won 94 points at the International Spirits Challenge in 2021. Other expressions like the 15-, 18-, and 25-year-olds have claimed gold and silver medals repeatedly. The 45-year-old Bow Wave, released in 2023, is the oldest whisky the distillery has produced. Ownership passed through Dewar’s, Allied Breweries, and Inver House Distillers over the decades. Visitors walk through the working distillery and see the stills that shape the spirit. The visitor centre offers drams of different ages, from the fresh 12-year-old to older releases. Guests can taste whiskies named after local headlands such as Noss Head and Dunnet Head. The tasting room overlooks the old harbour where casks once left by sea. A short stroll along the waterfront shows how the sea still shapes the whisky’s flavour.