A Visit to Rosebank Distillery, “The King of the Lowlands”

Pass through Falkirk, Scotland, and it’s easy to think of two words that might otherwise sit in opposition: “sleepy” and “industrial.” Conveniently, those could describe the city’s Rosebank Distillery, a 186 year-old operation that’s today known for both its mothballed era — spanning nearly three decades — and its award-winning vintage casks.

Admittedly, my interest in Rosebank was piqued long before visiting. Over the past few years, its vintage single malts — specifically 30 and 31 year bottlings, casked before the distillery’s closure in 1993 — have raised eyebrows across the whisky world. My all-too-brief experiences with each left found memories. Even our own Chris Null wrote he would “travel a long way to give it another taste.”

So when the opportunity arose to tour Rosebank, it felt easy — reflexive, really — to opt in. With new owners, new stills, and new staff, how is the new-look operation working to capture that once-lost magic?

“The King of the Lowlands” — Rosebank’s History

It’s impossible to talk about Rosebank without at least a cursory recap of its history. The original distillery was founded in 1840. Wine merchant James Rankine purchased malting operations from a previous distillery (Camelon) and then established a new production site on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal. In its heyday, the canal was an important artery cutting across Scotland, trimming the journey between Edinburgh and Glasgow to around 9-10 hours each way. (Official boat traffic would stop in the 1960s.)

According to the distillery itself, it’s unclear exactly where the name “Rosebank” came from. But it was established by the time Rankine’s son Robert took over, going so far as to rebuild the distillery in 1868. (Rosebank also ceased its malting operations that year.) The distillery stayed family-owned until around World War 1 and was eventually acquired by Distillers Company Ltd. in the 1920s.

From then on, almost all Rosebank’s stocks went into blends. Yet the distiller’s whisky still built a reputation and gained significant respect, enough to earn the moniker “King of the Lowlands,” at least in some circles. The distillery did release an 8-year single malt starting in 1982.

But as the distillery today emphasizes, the industry’s fate lay with blends. A crowded market eventually contributed to Rosebank’s closure. The final casks of “original” Rosebank were filled on June 30, 1993; it’s from some of these late-80s and early-90s barrels that the distillery pulls its contemporary vintage releases.

To add insult to injury, the sleeping producer also lost its most iconic equipment. In 2008, thieves disguised in high-vision vests and hard hats broke into the facility and stole Rosebank’s three copper stills, piece by piece.

But in 2017, Rosebank got a lifeline. Family-owned Ian Macleod Distillers acquired the site and its remaining stocks, and Rosebank joined Glengoyne (acquired in 2003) and Tamdhu (acquired in 2012) to round out the company’s modern distillery portfolio. Rosebank’s refurbishment kicked off in 2020, with distillation beginning around three years later. Public tours started in June 2024.

Rosebank’s Modern Whisky Making

In many ways, Rosebank’s modern production is designed as a facsimile of its past. Grain is ground using a more than 100 year-old mill that was previously employed at Port Ellen. Fermentation times of between 62 and 72 hours result in an ~8.5% ABV wash, which then undergoes triple distillation. Low wines come off the first still at 21%, high wines at 41.5%, and new make at 77%.

Three new copper pot stills were built as nearly exact replicas of the old ones. The distillery also installed traditional worm tubs to collect and cool spirit right outside the building. Currently, that combination of triple distillation and worm tub condensation is unique in Scotch production.

The new make spirit is memorably fruity and complex, with bold notes of plum wine and an overall profile reminiscent of barley shochu. (It makes a great — if simple — old fashioned, which the distillery offers on certain tours.) The unaged whisky is casked at 63.5% abv, then aged primarily offsite at either Glengoyne or Tamdhu. A single, small on-site warehouse houses around 100 special casks for display.

Visiting Rosebank

Today, Rosebank employs 17 full time employees, around seven of whom conduct tours. The distillery offers a range of permanent tours:

Rosebank Reawakening: A basic guided tour, tasting of Glengoyne and Tamdhu whiskies, and samples of Rosebank new make. (£25 plus fees)
Discover the World’s Best Whisky: A more in-depth tour that also includes a dram of Rosebank 31 Year Single Malt. (£90 plus fees)
Rosebank Rekindled: Similar to the above, but swap the 31 year old for a 33 year single malt, then add in a chocolate pairing. (£95 plus fees)
Rosebank Revered: Rosebank’s most detailed tour at 3 hours. Includes a cocktail reception, full tour, a flight of three vintage Rosebank whiskies, and cask sampling from a newer cask filled in 2023. (£300, plus fees)

Admittedly, as a member of the media, I likely received a more detailed walkthrough and tasting than most. But after speaking with multiple tour guides, my impression was of folks happy to be peppered with questions ranging from the ultra-broad to mega-specific; whisky newbies and nerds alike seemed welcome.

For guests casually tagging along with a Scotch-obsessed friend or loved one, the visuals alone may be worth the price of admission, at least for a more basic tour. It’s pretty clear Ian Macleod spared no expense in reimagining the facility, which integrates an original, 33-meter chimney into a new glass-and-metal framework. Old floorboards were reclaimed into ceiling beams. And I was legitimately impressed by the warehouse’s lighting design and tour’s introductory video — the latter of which involves several projectors and impressively not-cheesy animation.

It will be years — decades, really — before we can accurately compare whiskies from the old and new Rosebank distilleries. But with Rosebank’s Legacy series of 30+ year old malts commanding prices between £1,600 and £2,100, touring is a much more accessible path to juxtaposing old versus new.

And for those whose wallets are feeling too padded, the gift shop also offers several distillery exclusive bottles — including an exceedingly rare 33 year old single malt, distilled back in 1989.

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