Buy rare and selected Rosebank Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky online

The Rosebank distillery was founded in Camelon in the Scottish Lowlands in an area north of the English border and south of the imaginary line between Greenock in the west and Dundee in the east around 1840 by James Rankine, although whisky had probably been produced on the site since 1798 (by the Stark brothers). Opposite Rosebank, on the other side of the Forth-Clyde Canal, was the Camelon distillery run by John Stark, which closed in 1861. Even before its closure, James Rankine had rented the maltings of the Camelon distillery. After the closure of the Camelon distillery, his son R. W. Rankie, who in the meantime also ran Rosebank and had it completely renovated in 1864, took over the distillery and malt house and had everything except the malt house demolished in 1865. Rosebank was one of the five founding distilleries of Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD) in 1914, alongside Clydesdale, Glenkinchie, Grange and St Magdalene. No production took place from 1917 to 1919. In 1968, the old malt house was closed and demolished. In 1987, the distillery was sold to United Distillers (UD, now Diageo), and in May 1993 the distillery was shut down. The reasons given were the high cost of modernising the sewage disposal system at the canal site and the strategic direction of the shareholder group at the time. The buildings were sold and unfortunately the valuable stills were later stolen or destroyed.
The water for the old Rosbank distillery, which was part of the Lowlands region, came from the Carron Valley reservoir in the Fintry hills. It had an iron mash tun, a wash still, a low-wine still and a spirit still. A key feature of Rosebank was the triple distillation, a method that is otherwise mainly used in Scotland for Auchentoshan and typically results in a lighter, finer spirit. Another special feature was the use of worm tubs (snake coolers) to condense the alcohol vapour, which gives the otherwise light distillate a certain complexity and texture - an unusual combination.
Rosebank Single Malt Whisky was generally regarded as the best Lowland Single Malt, gaining an excellent reputation over the years, often referred to as the King of the Lowlands and renowned for producing a particularly high quality and distinctive Lowland Single Malt.
In 2017, independent bottler and distillery owner Ian Macleod distillers (known for Glengoyne and Tamdhu) acquired the Rosebank brand and the original area. An ambitious project to rebuild the distillery followed, with the aim of replicating the original production process and character as closely as possible, including triple distillation and worm tubs. Production in the new building resumed at the end of 2023 and the visitor centre opened its doors in summer 2024. The first new Rosebank whisky is now maturing in the warehouses.
As Rosebank whisky contains little to no peat, its character is lighter than that of other regions. Typical of Lowland whiskies is their relatively mild character, as well as the triple distillation production process.
The old bottlings of Rosebank before its closure in 1993 are famous for their light, floral and complex character, which epitomises the classic Lowland style. The focus is often on pronounced floral notes (such as roses or violets) and a general lightness due to the triple distillation. In addition, there are often fresh, grassy flavours as well as bright fruit notes, particularly citrus fruits (lemon, sometimes grapefruit) and green apples with a subtle sweetness and complexity with vanilla, honey, sometimes nutty (almonds) or creamy hints, giving the whisky depth. Despite its lightness, it often has a surprising complexity due to the worm tubs. The finish is usually clean, short to medium in length and often leaves behind floral and citrusy notes. The few remaining old Rosebank single malt whiskies from the 1970s and 1980s are now whisky rarities, are of exceptional quality and are highly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors.