Leonard Russell - BourbonSphere

Reviving Rosebank Distillery After 30 Silent Years

When Rosebank Distillery’s stills went silent in 1993, many whisky lovers assumed the Falkirk distillery was gone forever – especially after thieves stole the copper… Read More

When Rosebank Distillery’s stills went silent in 1993, many whisky lovers assumed the Falkirk distillery was gone forever – especially after thieves stole the copper stills for scrap a couple of years later. Now, after 5 and a half years of work, Rosebank has come back to life, and the team at Ian Macleod Distillers filled the first casks of Rosebank since 1993 this week. We’ll talk with Ian Macleod’s Gordon Dundas about the revival of Rosebank on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth.

In the news, the whisky world pays tribute to the Bon Accord’s Paul McDonagh after the legendary Glasgow whisky bar’s owner passed away this week. Speyburn Distillery in Scotland is opening its doors to visitors for the first time starting next week, and we’ll have the details. We’ll take a look at sweet mash and sour mash distilling on Behind the Label, and our tasting notes this week include whiskies from Amrut and Arran distilleries.

Episode 1014: July 23, 2023

Photo courtesy Ian Macleod Distillers

Rosebank Distillery No Longer Silent After 30 Years

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… Read More

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

Islay Boys, Islay Whisky (Episode 964: August 7, 2022)

Scotland’s Isle of Islay is known for its distilleries, and construction will begin soon on the island’s 12th distillery near the shores of Laggan Bay. The Islay Boys, Donald MacKenzie and Mackay Smith, plan to build the new Laggan Bay Distillery across from Islay’s airport on the site of a former RAF World War II barracks. MacKenzie and Smith also own the island’s lone brewery, and plan to make Islay Ales part of the Laggan Bay development. We’ll catch up with Donald MacKenzie on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky’s Bourbon community is coming together again to help Read More »

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