Coleburn 47 yo 1972 / 2020 Gordon &Macphail #3511 62.4%

Coleburn 47 yo 1972 / 2020 Gordon &Macphail #3511 62.4%

Who has had more than 3 Coleburns, raise your hand. The whisky though: Well! The product of great age and gentle wood, hand in hand, a beautiful rendering of layers of parts, the sum of which is certainly greater. Old incense and fragrant cedar boxes. Boiled citrus rinds, eucalyptus oil, pinches of woody spice like aniseed, black pepper, some cardamom and even clary sage? A rather exquisite subtlety. Old paper books, brown leaves, trays of clay things ready for the kiln, lit bunsen burners, violet leaf and hot mineral oil. There’s a touch of something combustive too. Mastic, scratched aluminum and blue flames. Like a gruff highlander forced to wear his rakeish city cousins’ garb. Unfortunately a little short on the palate and the heat drowns out the depth after a while. 89 pts