Old Pulteney Distillery

Pulteney Distillery was established in 1826 by James Henderson in the newly developed Pulteneytown area of Wick. Named after Sir William Pulteney (died 1805), the philanthropist whose company funded the planned town's development, the distillery was in its early years accessible only by sea — barley was imported by boat and whisky exported the same way, with no proper overland route. Workers at the distillery often doubled as herring fishermen in the thriving local fishing industry.

The distillery was sold to John Dewar & Sons in 1924, who joined The Distillers Company (DCL) in 1925. A remarkable period followed: Wick had voted itself "dry" under local prohibition enforcement, and the distillery closed from 1930 to 1951 as a result — one of the more unusual closures in Scottish whisky history, not caused by industry recession but by local democratic temperance. The law was finally abolished in 1947, and the distillery reopened in 1951. Hiram Walker & Sons purchased Pulteney in 1954, passing it to Allied Breweries in 1961. Inver House Distillers acquired it in 1995 and have owned it since.

Water for production is drawn from Loch Hempriggs via a mill lade engineered by the great Thomas Telford — a connection to the broader infrastructure of the planned Pulteneytown development. In July 2023, Old Pulteney released its oldest whisky to date: the 45-year-old Old Pulteney Bow Wave.

Old Pulteney operates one wash still (16,100 litres) and one spirit still (13,200 litres), with an annual production capacity of approximately 1,000,000 litres. Water is drawn from Loch Hempriggs via the Telford-designed mill lade. The distillery's sea-air location is credited with influencing maturation character — casks stored close to the coast are believed to absorb the distinctive saline note that defines the house style. The visitor centre is located on Huddart Street, Wick.

Old Pulteney is sweet, fruity, and malty with a characteristic edge of salt and sea air that sets it apart from most Highland malts. The maritime influence is tangible: the coastal location during maturation imparts a gentle salinity alongside honey, vanilla, and malt character at younger ages, developing toward citrus, spice, dried fruit, and brine with extended ageing. The 12 Year Old is the accessible, everyday expression; the 18 and 21 year olds reveal increasing complexity and coastal depth; the 45 Year Old Bow Wave (2023) represents the extreme aged end of the spectrum.

The visitor centre on Huddart Street, Wick offers tours giving insight into the distillery's production and its remarkable local history, including the unique story of Wick's self-imposed prohibition. Tours include tastings of the core range. Physical shop and online shop both available at oldpulteney.com.