Old Pulteney is celebrating its 200th anniversary with the launch of two exceptionally rare single malts from its historic Highland distillery.
The Wick-based producer has unveiled a 50-year-old and a 30-year-old single malt to mark two centuries of whisky-making on Scotland’s rugged northern coastline.
Founded in the fishing town of Wick in 1826, the distillery has long drawn its character and identity from a close relationship with the sea.
Old Pulteney’s whiskies are widely known as “The Maritime Malt”, a title reflecting the powerful influence of coastal maturation on the spirit’s flavour and character.
The 50-year-old expression is the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery, surpassing the previous record held by the one-of-a-kind 47-year-old Polaris, which sold for £62,500 at the Distillers One of One auction last year.
Just 200 bottles of the 50-year-old have been made available worldwide, drawn from four hogshead casks that spent half a century in Old Pulteney’s coastal warehouses.
The whisky was predominantly matured in American oak, with a subtle European oak influence, spending decades exposed to the salt-laden air and harsh conditions of the Caithness coast.
Bottled at 40.8 per cent ABV, the expression delivers notes of candied orange peel, citrus oils and chocolate, alongside delicate oak influences and a lingering coastal finish.
Each bottle is presented in a hand-blown lead crystal decanter featuring intricate wave detailing, housed within a handcrafted oak display case inspired by driftwood.
Alongside the flagship bottling, the distillery has released a 30-year-old single malt created exclusively for the bicentenary celebrations, limited to 1,000 bottles worldwide.
Distillery manager Malcolm Waring personally filled the casks three decades ago, adding a further layer of historical significance to the commemorative release.
The 30-year-old was matured in American oak before being refined in European oak casks, and is bottled at 50.4 per cent ABV with aromas of sugared almonds, orchard fruits and sweet oak.
Flavours of citrus, pear, salted caramel and warming spice follow, with the expression presented in a crystal decanter featuring rose-gold detailing and maritime-inspired engraving, priced at £1,750.
Sarah Burgess, Old Pulteney’s master of whisky creation, described the anniversary releases as a reflection of the distillery’s deep heritage and coastal identity.
“As we approached Old Pulteney’s milestone 200th anniversary, we felt a deep responsibility to create whiskies which truly encapsulate everything that Old Pulteney represents,” she said.
“50 Years Old and 30 Years Old stand apart as exceptional tributes to two centuries of distilling shaped by exposure to the elements on Scotland’s northern coast,” Burgess added.
As Old Pulteney enters its third century of production, the anniversary bottlings serve as both a celebration of its past and a signal of its future ambitions.
Both expressions will be available through selected specialist retailers from June 2026.