You don't have to look far to uncover Old Pulteney's clearest link with the history of Wick. Borne upon every bottle is the name of the man responsible for the transformation of what was once a village of just a few hundred souls into a burgeoning industrial town. Sir William Johnstone Pulteney's vision of a vibrant fishing port was realised by one of Scotland's most famous sons, civil engineer Thomas Telford. The creation of Wick's vast harbour and the accompanying settlement of Pultneytown in the early years of the 19th Century sparked a spectacular surge in herring fishing, the like of which had never been seen, with the glory days of the 'silver darlings' drawinog over 1000 boats and some 7000 workers to the port. This boom period coincided with the opening of the Pulteney Distillery, and Telford too played his part in the whisky's heritage, being responsible for the construction of the lade which carries the distillery's water from Loch Hempriggs. Many of the distillery's original workers were also herring fishermen, and the spirit of these old sea rovers is inherent in the whisky to this day, with a distinct hint of sea air said to be discernable in this treasured malt.
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