Nearly six years after Ian Macleod Distillers announced plans to revive the long-closed Rosebank Distillery, the stills have been fired up and spirit once again flows. The ceremonial first cask of whisky was filled this week, and in a nod to the distillery’s tradition, it was a refill ex-Bourbon barrel.
“It’s been a bit of a journey, obviously, through COVID and a whole range of other things,” said Gordon Dundas of Ian Macleod Distillers. “To have now spirit running through the stills is fabulous, and obviously, very much in the style of what Rosebank should be,” he said in a Zoom interview for the next episode of WhiskyCast.
The Falkirk distillery’s original equipment was stolen for scrap after Rosebank closed in 1993, but Ian Macleod acquired the distillery’s blueprints and other records when it bought the rights to the Rosebank brand from Diageo in 2017. Working with Forsyths, the three new stills were built to the original specifications. The goal was to recreate the original Rosebank spirit character as closely as possible with modern equipment.
Ian Macleod Distillers’ Gordon Dundas, managing director Leonard Russell, and Rosebank Distillery manager Malcolm Rennie with the ceremonial first cask of spirit. Image courtesy Ian Macleod Distillers.
“We’re aware it’s not going to be identical, but there’s a reason we’ve got the same-shaped stills and the wormtub condensers,” Dundas said. “Arguably, Rosebank is one of the most spirit-led whiskies in Scotland, if you look at all the old Rosebanks historically in refills, we’ll be looking to produce the same style.” That includes triple-distillation, making Rosebank one of a handful of distilleries in Scotland using triple-distillation instead of the more common pair of wash and spirit stills.
Ian Macleod also acquired all of Diageo’s remaining stocks of Rosebank single malt distilled between 1989 and 1993 with the purchase, and has been releasing vintage expressions of Rosebank while the construction project continues. Work remains on the distillery’s visitors center, which is expected to open in early 2024.
Links: Rosebank Distillery