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Old Pulteney whisky

Old Pulteney is the single malt from the Pulteney distillery in Wick, one of the most northerly in the Highlands, sold under the “Maritime Malt” name. This page lists the Old Pulteney bottles in stock at the UK retailers we check with the lowest current price, including Harbour, Huddart and the 12, 15, 18 and 25 Year Old, plus Coastal Series and independent bottlings.

The distillery uses worm tubs and a flat-topped wash still, and Huddart is the smoky bottling in the range. The same bottle can cost noticeably different amounts between shops, so match the age, size and edition before comparing.

James Henderson founded the distillery in 1826, and it closed from 1930 to 1951, during Wick’s prohibition years. Prices are the best current in-stock offer from the UK retailers we check (how we compare prices).

9 full-size bottles (50cl to 1 litre) in stock, with the best current price from the UK retailers we check.

Known for

The flavour families that most often turn up for Old Pulteney, based on its available bottles.

A guide to the house style rather than a promise: individual releases can differ.

About the distillery

Region
Highland, Scotland
Founded
1826
Status
Producing
Capacity
1.7 million litres of pure alcohol a year (stated capacity, not actual output); as recorded October 2026. Number 93 of 169 by stated capacity.
Owner
Owned by International Beverage (ThaiBev) (since 2006), through Inver House Distillers; as recorded October 2026
Say it
PULT-nee
Notable
Coastal site
SMWS code
52, the number on Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings (SMWS code decoder)
Visitor rating
4.6 out of 5 (297 reviews); TripAdvisor, October 2026

Secondary Market Barometer

6,350 lots sold · £895,617.00 hammer total

How Old Pulteney bottles have traded at Scotch Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer and Whisky Hammer between May 2011 and October 2026. Hammer prices exclude buyer's premium, VAT and delivery, except that a Whisky Hammer price includes 20% VAT when a VAT-registered business sells the lot.

Trading volume
#45Often tradedof 181 distilleries by lots sold
Bids per lot
16.3Below-average biddingWhisky Auctioneer only, against 20.5 across all distilleries
Median hammer price
£90.00average £141.04, pulled up by the top lots
Independent bottlings
20%of lots (1,278), the rest official bottlings (5,072)Median hammer: official £85.00, independent £99.50
Highest hammer prices
BottleSoldHammer
Old Pulteney 8 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail 100 Proof 1970s2025£3,200.00
Old Pulteney 40 Year Old2021£2,700.00
Old Pulteney 1974 Natural Cask Strength 15 Year Old2025£2,200.00
Most often sold
BottleLotsMedian
Old Pulteney 21 Year Old763£180.00
Old Pulteney 12 Year Old739£25.00
Old Pulteney 17 Year Old698£85.00
Top independent bottlers
BottlerLotsMedian
Gordon & MacPhail387£130.00
Scotch Malt Whisky Society278£95.00
Cadenhead213£70.00

Past auction results, not a valuation or a guide to future prices. Figures compiled 12 November 2026.

Before comparing a hammer price with a shop price, add the fees: buying whisky at auction vs retail works through them. Auction medians for many brands have fallen since their 2021 and 2022 peaks, as what 1.6 million auction lots show about whisky prices sets out.

Questions

What is the cheapest Old Pulteney whisky?
The cheapest Old Pulteney whisky is Old Pulteney Harbour (40% ABV, 70cl), at £31.95 from Hard To Find Whisky. That is £37.90 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: Old Pulteney 12 Year Old (£33.00) and Old Pulteney 15 Year Old (£54.95).
How much does Old Pulteney whisky cost?
Old Pulteney whisky costs from £31.95 to £20,000.00, with a median of £95.00 for a full-size bottle (50cl to 1 litre). The dearest is Old Pulteney 50 Year Old.
What is the oldest Old Pulteney whisky you can buy?
Old Pulteney 50 Year Old, at 50 years old, from £20,000.00.
What does Old Pulteney mean?
The name comes from Pulteneytown, the then newly built part of Wick where James Henderson founded the distillery in 1826, according to the producer. The distillery itself is called Pulteney; its single malt is sold as Old Pulteney. It is one of the most northerly distilleries on the Scottish mainland.
What is the difference between Old Pulteney Harbour and the 12 Year Old?
Harbour carries no age statement; the 12 Year Old does, and by law the age on a Scotch label is the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle (Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009). Both are bottled at 40% ABV, and Old Pulteney describes both as matured in ex-bourbon casks.