Pause to production will have 'negligible' impact on future stocks of Old Pulteney
The makers of Old Pulteney whisky say their decision to put a temporary stop to production was the correct one, and have given an assurance that the impact on future stocks will be "negligible".
Production was paused last month following a prolonged spell of dry weather in the Wick area and Inver House Distillers, the company that owns the distillery, has been liaising with the environmental regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The Pulteney lade draws water from nearby Loch Hempriggs, where levels have been "extremely low". Wick's water supply has been classed as “significant scarcity” for a sixth consecutive week, according to SEPA's latest report.
A spokeswoman for Inver House Distillers said: "Inver House Distillers continues to work closely with SEPA and the community in Wick to manage the current water scarcity issue at Pulteney Distillery.
"Our decision to voluntarily pause production to protect Loch Hempriggs was the correct one and, like everyone in the area, we are hopeful that the rainfall now needed to restore water levels across the region arrives soon.
"In the meantime, the distillery team is busy using this period to work on other essential tasks such as maintenance and warehousing, and there is plenty to do while we wait for production to resume.
"In terms of the impact on future stocks of Old Pulteney, this will be negligible given the long-term nature of the whisky industry, and also our ability to make up lost production days once we are in a position to do so."
It is understood this is the first time production has been halted because of low water levels since the summer of 1976, although the company has not confirmed that.
Wick experienced its driest summer for 66 years in 2021, according to local weather watcher Keith Banks. Wick Angling Association has called it "a disastrous year" for the river, saying the effects could be felt for a long time to come.
The latest water scarcity report from SEPA shows that the Wick area remains at "significant scarcity" for a sixth consecutive week. Thurso is again rated as "moderate scarcity", along with Orkney.
Wick experienced its warmest September day for 68 years on Tuesday of this week, with the temperature peaking at 23.0C (73.4F). Thunder and lightning overnight on Wednesday was followed by rain and cooler conditions, and the outlook is unsettled.