Although Pulteney is no longer Scotland’s northernmost mainland distillery (a title now held by Wolfburn), its stills remain some of the most distinctive in the country. The unusual design, potentially inspired by James Henderson’s original smugglers-style stills, contributes to its unique whisky character. The wash still features a massive boil bulb nearly as large as its base and a flat top, promoting significant reflux to refine specific alcohols. The spirit still is equipped with a purifier pipe and a coiled lyne arm, further enhancing reflux while potentially adding an oily quality to the spirit. Condensing in worm tubs adds additional weight, resulting in Old Pulteney’s characteristic balance of leathery and oily richness, complemented by an ozonic freshness.
The history of Pulteney is intertwined with the rise and fall of Wick, once the herring capital of the world. By 1860, the port supported over 1,000 fishing boats, necessitating the creation of housing and infrastructure. In 1810, Thomas Telford designed a new town on the south bank of the river, naming it Pulteneytown after Sir William Pulteney MP, who was instrumental in Wick’s expansion as head of the Fisheries Board.
In 1825, James Henderson, a former illicit distiller in Stemster, established the Pulteney distillery in Pulteneytown. The Henderson family ran the distillery for nearly a century until it was sold in 1920 to Jas. Watson of Dundee. Two years later, Wick’s town council declared the town “dry,” banning alcohol sales under the influence of an American evangelist. While it’s unclear if this impacted the distillery, Old Pulteney changed hands multiple times, eventually becoming part of John Dewar & Sons and later DCL. A market downturn in 1930 forced the distillery to close.
It reopened in 1951 after Wick’s prohibition ended in 1947, with local businessman Robert “Bertie” Cumming acquiring the distillery. In 1955, Cumming sold it and Balblair to Hiram Walker, and after subsequent mergers, Old Pulteney ended up under Allied Distillers. By 1995, when Inver House acquired it, the distillery was in dire need of restoration.
Since then, the distillery has been extensively renovated, a visitor center has been opened, and the Old Pulteney brand has flourished, securing its place in the whisky world.
