‘A Sleeping Giant’ Awakens as Formerly Mothballed Scotch Whisky Distillery Is Revived

Rosebank Distillery completed its cask fill at Glengoyne Distillery on July 18. (Photo: Rosebank Distillery)

Rosebank Distillery, a lowland scotch producer with nearly 200 years of history, has been brought back to life after 30 years of silence. The formerly mothballed distillery announced its resurrection Wednesday.

Rosebank announced the completion of its first distillation run, filling cask number 001 six years after being purchased by Ian Macleod Distillers. Ian Macleod Distillers refers to itself as an independent, family-run distilling company and is behind brands like Smokehead, Tamdhu and Glengoyne, whose expressions have garnered plenty of positive attention among critics. We were particularly partial to Glengoyne 25 Year, which we reviewed here.

The first cask to be distilled at Rosebank is maturing in a refill bourbon barrel that was chosen to lend a richer and fruitier profile to the final spirit, according to the brand. The whisky is non-peated and triple distilled.

Rosebank’s revitalized facilities have retained many aspects of the original distillery. The original blueprints were found and used to bring the lowland scotch producer back to life. New worm tub condensers were added to replace the original ones, with the aim of producing a richer, more robust spirit. The distillery’s original chimney was rebuilt and remains a focal point for the new facilities.

Fans will be able to visit Rosebank Distillery in 2024 and tour the property.

“We’ve known all along the magic and majesty that Rosebank retains, and you can really feel this come to life as we start up production once again and fill the first cask with the new Rosebank Spirit, Cask No 001,” Rosesbank Distillery Manager Malcolm Rennie said in a news release. “We’ve assembled a fantastic distillery team and there is excitement among us all as we complete our first distillation runs. This is the first Rosebank spirit to be distilled in more than 30 years, so it’s an absolute honor to oversee the moment and play a part in returning this once whisky giant to its former glory.”

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