Spotlight on once lost distillies Coleburn and Rosebank
Any reason counts to put some rare whiskies into one session, right? Well, sit back, relax, and read about the two distilleries featured today. Both were in the news recently, hence my effort to taste samples of them. Also, I had the good fortune to taste examples from these distilleries, which is not always a given, I can assure you.
First up is an early 1970s distilled Coleburn. This distillery was build in the late 19th century whisky boom, and saw life in 1897. Not far from Linkwood, its two stills gently purred away in the Glen of Rothes. The distillery ended up at DCL and SMD, those big conglomerates that are the forebears of current day Diageo. Coleburn was not the biggest operation on Speyside, and because of outdated equipment, it was an easy candidate for closure when the economy took a turn for the worst in the 1980s. Saved from the demolishing hammer, the location was once eyed for turning into a place for flats and houses, but nothing came of that. I visited the location in 2019, where we did a tasting with Aceo/Murray McDavid, who lease some of the warehouses. Late this summer, we received exciting news that the distillery might reopen in 2027. That would be fantastic news. Much of the original Charles Doig designed buildings are very much intact. This newspaper article goes into detail about the plans, which include also a resort. Attracting Keith Cruickshank of Benromach fame also seems a major step in the right direction. You might notice I write with caution, since the whisky economy is not the brightest looking at the moment. Plans can be shelved; we will believe it when we see it. W will end with the final quote from the article: “Once operational, the Coleburn Distillery is projected to produce one million liters of whisky each year.”
Also producing one million liters of whisky a year, is the Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk. You might want to (re)read my account of visiting the distillery in December 2024. As it turns out, the flood of tourists who want to visit the distillery as I did, is not as massive as expected. Thus, the distillery had to make the decision to not prolong contracts of people working there in hospitality. In my opinion, the loss is on the (whisky) tourists, because Rosebank is easily one of the prettiest sites to visit if you really want a deep insight into how a distillery works. Falkirk also has a lot to offer to the more broad-minded tourist not only into whisky. But yes, squashed between Edinburgh and Glasgow, it does bring competition. While you can still visit Rosebank, it now requires perhaps a bit more planning. As a whisky nerd, I still highly recommend you make the pilgrimage to this wonderful location. I contacted someone on the inside, just to make sure, but he confirmed that production is not affected by this development. While we wait, we taste the old stuff, below.
Coleburn 1972, bottled at 46 % abv by Gordon & MacPhail
First things first: An expression in the Rare Old series by Gordon & MacPhail, this Coleburn 1972 matured in a refill remade American hogshead. The cask code is RO/13/06 and the yield only 214 bottles when it was put into glass in 2013. This is indeed a 41 year old whisky.
Upon Sipping: Ah yes, a rather unique nose, that combines multiple styles into one. Excellent fruit, peaches and fermenting apple, or better said: apple sauce. The very familiar candy gummi bears are there too. I pick up some hints of pine and mint. If you ever drove by Coleburn, you might see in your mind that the distillery lies a little down in a valley. This whisky smells like the trees around that location. Some wet limestone too, before going back to being fruity. Delightful nose, really. The palate is covered with a juicy and creamy liquid, where the fruits talk first but then the wood takes over. A very dark, bitterish note, that still does not really feel over the top. Some ginger root. All in all very easy to drink, unlike its sibling from the Rare Malts Selection that is more rough. This Rare Old Coleburn walks a tight rope between fruity delicacy and overly wooded notes. It works.
Word to the Wise: Perfect balance on this rarely seen single malt from Speyside, that will now possibly get a new lease of life. Of course, it is silly to base an opinion on a whisky that matured for 41 years, but if the stills start producing again, I hope they manage to recreate the fruity notes.
Score: 88 points.
Rosebank 1991, 12 years old, bottled at 57,6 % abv by big market
First things first: We love the big market shop in Berlin, and we love getting to taste such a young Rosebank, for which in theory we have to wait 10 more years to experience again. Not much information on this whisky, besides that it is a Sonderabfüllung (single cask).
Upon Sipping: Oh man, lowland single malt on steroids here. Rosebank was a dirty mouthed whisky if there ever was one. Lots of minerals, diesel fumes, but also soft yellow fruit, vanilla on top but overripe banana in the mix. Some smoke cannot be denied, before I pick up some lemons. It keeps evolving, with white grapes, some peaches, not entirely unlike the Campbeltown style. The taste is more eccentric, with a very soft, peachy arrival, strong vanilla notes and then a glass of alcohol smashed against a limestone wall. No wonder that, when tasted blind, I kept going to Kilkerran or Hazelburn! Only after adding a good splash of water, do we finally pick up a more grassy and floral lowland character. The water causes some hints of petrichor to fill my room. The taste became sugary sweet and rather playfully oily on the tongue. The Rosebank spirit will never fail to delight me. What a power in there. It does not need a million years of ageing. These 12 before big market bottled it were enough.
Word to the Wise: A tour the force by Rosebank. This must have been active wood, contrary to most Signatory bottlings we know that rely almost entirely on the liquid. I am very pleased to encounter this example of style, which made it very Campbeltown in nature. Only with water did we draw out the lowland soul of this Rosebank.
Score: 88 points.