Old Pulteney Duncansby Head Lighthouse

This is the second installment of the latest Old Pulteney Travel Retail series to hit the Duty Free shelves after the WK editions. I've just finished writing a review for the Noss Head Lighthouse so I used up all my Old Pulteney preamble there. Basically all I want to say is the three expressions are named after Lighthouses.

I guess their marketing department needed a story so they simply looked out the window and, I'm guessing, saw three lighthouses.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea. Maybe a bit lazy. Because what's next? They've done boats. Now lighthouses. That leaves lifesavers. Right? Anyway, I'll let the marketing department take care of that.

The Duncansby Head Lighthouse is second of the series and is matured in ex-Bourbon and ex-Spanish sherry casks. I'm going to hazard a guess that it's basically the same spirit as the Noss Head Lighthouse (which has been matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon barrels) finished off in sherry casks. I could be wrong but there's too many similarities between the two.

Though not mentioned I'm assuming the sherry is Oloroso (please correct me if I'm wrong!).

Here's the official blurb about the Duncansby Head Lighthouse on the OP website:

"Featuring a coral red label and tube, the eye catching packaging depicts an image of Duncansby Head lighthouse. Situated near to John O’Groats at the very northern tip of Scotland, the lighthouse protected a dangerous part of the Pentland Firth where the Atlantic waters flow into the North Sea."

Nose: Damp chocolate. Cake. Assorted nuts. Vanilla. Coconut (oil). Beans. Cabbage leaves. Dark dry raisins. Hint of peat? The nose smells familiar. I think it's the ex-sherry treatment which I found across so many expressions. It's not bad, mind you. Just get a sense of 'been there, done that.'

Palate: Chocolate. Lemon and black pepper. Natural caramel on mixed fruit sweets. Coffee powder. It's not bad. Just lacks the complexity that was needed to elevate it a bit.

Finish: Decently long. Cinnamon. Mocha.

Not a bad whisky by any standards. But not challenging enough.

Find where to buy Old Pulteney whisky