Coleburn 28 Year (1971) Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

Review by: TOModera

So what the heck do I mean by Feathers Flight at the top? What kinda weird thing am I doing now? Is this review going to be about my genitalia again?

Well no. Not all of it. I kinda promise.

Every year, all I’d like to do for my birthday is review whisky. I don’t want to clean up after a party, or hang out, or anything like that: I just want to review whisky. And I get to review whisky because my friends and family are amazing and buy me whisky.

This year I’m going twice. Only twice, I know. So I asked for some recommendations, and then was told by my wife that for the first trip, she’d be picking out what I’d be drinking, as she’s paying.

Oh, and where do I go for this bevy of barley (malted that is)? Why I go to the Feathers Pub. And I enjoy the food, the atmosphere, the awesome people.

Have I mentioned that the 80s were crap lately? Because seriously: They were crap. Recession. Big hair. Long ass complicated songs (granted I do love Prog Rock when the mood hits). AIDS. A general culture of use and throw away.

Not to mention I was born. World went downhill there.

Anyway, during this type a large amount of Distilleries went under, due to the Scotch bubble bursting. And it relates to the next dram, the Coleburn 28 year Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing), relates because it was one of the deaths that we saw in this decade of Dur.

Coleburn is now planned to be a concert hall/activity center, however it’s been a decade since those plans were made, and it’s still not happening. It seems that this distillery, which used to be part of Johnnie Walker Red Label has gone to drunker pastures.

Anyway, let’s see how this lost spirit tastes and if I’m lamenting for no good reason (wouldn’t be the first time).

Distillery: Coleburn Distillery.

Bottler: Douglas Laing.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 50%.

Age: 28 years. Distilled in 1971. Bottled in 1999.

Cask type: Unknown.

Price: N/A.

Color: Pale Gold.

Nose: Pineapple upside down cake, ginger, yeast, fuzzy peaches, penny candy shopping as a kid

Initially all I can smell is a Pineapple upside down cake. And that is quite complex. There’s acid, sweetness, some wheat and cake notes, and a caramel note as well. After giving it some time (and I do mean some time), it opened up into penny shopping as a kid, which was great.

Seriously, tempting late onset Diabetes with only a loonie? Those were the days.

Taste: Mango, pepper, wheat, strawberry, earth, pineapple, walnut oil, pear

Thick, thick, THICK mouthfeel. I don’t normally comment on that, but DAMN. This dram could be in thick (NSFW).

Tons of different flavours going on here. Kinda hot too, which isn’t helping too much, but tasty.

Finish: Peach jam, cinnamon, apple, honey, oak, brown butter, macadamia, spritey, nutmeg, radicchio

Lots of punch in the finish. Exactly what you’d want from an old, cask strength dram. Not too sweet, or bitter, good amount of balance.

Conclusion: Yes, try this dram. That simple. A sweet, balance nose, a nice fruity taste, and a big punch, complex finish. I’ve had a better Coleburn, but at this point, if I see an old Coleburn, I assume it’s amazing.

Final Score: 87.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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