🥃 Old Pulteney 18 Year Old
The oldest version of the Old Pulteney permanent range: 18 years, 46% ABV; second-fill ex-bourbon casks, finished in Spanish oak ex-oloroso casks; since 2018.
Old Pulteney 18 Year Old is the oldest version of the permanent range of the Old Pulteney brand, a single malt Scotch whisky from Wick. The youngest whisky in the bottle is at least 18 years old, and the strength is 46% ABV. This version appeared in August 2018, together with the 15-year-old.
According to Whisky Advocate, the whisky first matures in second-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks, then is finished in first-fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso casks. Scotchwhisky.com describes the same scheme. It matches the 15-year-old version, so the difference between them lies mainly in age. A 25-year-old version, according to Scotchwhisky.com, was a limited release and is not part of the permanent range.
Why it matters to you. When comparing with Old Pulteney 15 Year Old, pay attention to age: the casks and strength are the same. Old Pulteney 12 Year Old is lighter and 40% ABV. A close match in maturation scheme is Balblair 18 Year Old from the same owner. WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 46% ABV |
|---|---|
| Cask type | second-fill American oak ex-bourbon, finished in first-fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso |
| Minimum maturation | 18 years is the age of the youngest whisky |
| Year founded | August 2018 (renewed permanent range) |
| Raw material | malted barley |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Highland) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Old Pulteney 18 Year Old → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Oloroso, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Old Pulteney, 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🥃 Highland whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Balblair 18 Year Old, 🥃 Old Pulteney 12 Year Old, 🥃 Old Pulteney 12 Year Old, 🥃 Old Pulteney 15 Year Old, 🥃 Old Pulteney 15 Year Old
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Old Pulteney 18 is the oldest version of the brand?
In the permanent range, yes. Older releases, such as the 25-year-old, are limited editions, according to Scotchwhisky.com.
How does Old Pulteney 18 differ from the 15?
The cask scheme and strength are the same: bourbon, then oloroso, 46% ABV. The difference is age.
What is the strength of Old Pulteney 18 Year Old?
46% ABV, according to Whisky Advocate.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Highland whisky — Protected region of Scotch whisky north of the legal Highland–Lowland boundary; the SWA’s 2024 map shows 55 distilleries here.
- 🍷 Oloroso — Dry sherry of exclusively oxidative ageing, without flor; 17–22 % vol.
Similar
🥃 Old Pulteney 15 Year Old · 🥃 Old Pulteney 12 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenturret Triple Wood · 🥃 Balblair 15 Year Old · 🥃 Balblair 25 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenturret 15 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Whisky Advocate: Old Pulteney's new core range (15 and 18 Year Old, 46 %, second-fill ex-bourbon then first-fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso sherry butts; August 2018; 12 stays flagship)
- Scotchwhisky.com: Old Pulteney unveils its new core range (2018; 12 YO 40 %, mostly refill American oak; 15 and 18 YO 46 %, second-fill American oak ex-bourbon, then first-fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso butts; 17 and 21 YO withdrawn 2017)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)