And were back on track with the ghost safari: Rosebank, Coleburn, and Dallas Dhu.
Rosebank is among the most iconic of the ghost distilleries, one I tried a 16yo expression some time ago.
Coleburn I haven’t tried before. It’s one of the many distilleries that fell prey to the whisky loch of the 80s, being mostly used as blend-filler in the decades prior to its demise. The warehouses now hold the stock of independent bottler Murray McDavid whose leases the premises.
Ah then there’s Dallas Dhu. After closing in 1983 it was converted to a distillery museum in 1986. I visited it as part of a WOLS trip. I got a whisky sample from the Limburg festival in 2023, but it, along with a few others, was spoiled. Fingers crossed for the new sample I have…
Rosebank | 11yo (1983) | 43% | Signatory Vintage
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Caramel notes, like cola sauce, brown sugar, and some orange and strawberry, and some floral notes, against wood and greased leather.
Sipping
Texture like a quite oily dram, but diluted. The flavours arrive with a delay but in force: milk chocolate, almond macaroon, figs, leather, with warming spiciness. Very long finish.
💭 Comments
Nice, old-school sherry profile, perhaps making the Rosebank floral notes less noticeable. A tad higher strength and we’d be home.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫🟡🟢
⚫🟡🟢
N/A
Sherry-forward Rosie
Coleburn | 14yo (1983) | 43% | Signatory Vintage
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Intense vanilla, some green notes (grass, unripe fruit), floral notes, liquorice, and a bit lactic.
Sipping
On the sweet side, with a slight bitter grassiness, and at first a bit flat, but then kicks into gear in the development: maltiness, shortbread, perhaps some pears and waxy orchard fruit, and smoked ham (no peat, though).
💭 Comments
The nose and early palate aren’t too interesting, a bit flat even, but then there’s quite an interesting development. Makes me really interested to try a slightly older cask-strength version.
It’s interesting to see how different people’s opinions are. One blogger says “Wow. This is the best Speyside I’ve ever had, if for no other reason than I doubt I’ll ever come across some of these flavours ever again.” giving it a 90 score. Another says “an immediate and unstoppable floral element appears that quickly goes into overdrive towards soap. By the second sip, you are ready to blow bubbles. Yikes!” giving it a scathing 73. Me, I’m somewhere in between.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫🟡⚫
⚫🟡🟢
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Dividing opinions, and noses
Dallas Dhu | 19yo (1981) | 43% | Signatory Vintage
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Lots of ripe yellow fruits (apples, mangoes, lemons), some dunnage, Portuguese egg tart, a waxy note lingers in the empty glass.
Sipping
In line with the nose, with delicious yellow fruits and wine gums, primarily, some vanilla, and a hint of leather, tobacco, chilli and spice.
💭 Comments
I really like the nose, and the palate makes it quaffable. Happy that my second round of Dallas Dhu did not end in disappointment.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫🟡🟢
⚫🟡⚫
N/A
If at first you fail, try again
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