Rosebank Distillery Re-opens After Years of Closure
After more than 30 years of closure, the Rosebank Distillery and Visitor Center is once again in operation. Ian Macleod Distillers has restored the distillery which now includes a visitor experience for guests.
This distillery was founded in 1840 by local wine merchant James Rankine, who converted the Camelon distillery into a complete distillery. It later became part of United Distillers & Vintners (UDV), (currently Diageo).
Unfortunately, a rise in inflation in the 1970s and a drop in global Scotch demand led to overproduction of whisky. Rosebank was among many distilleries affected and closed its doors in 1993. However, the site was sold to the British Waterways Board in 2002.
Rosebank Distillery Re-opens – The Story
Stuart Hendry, brand homes director at Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “This is a huge moment for the people of Falkirk and the global whisky community. It has been an absolute pleasure watching Rosebank reawaken, with its original distillation methods now sitting at the heart of inspiring new buildings that respect the original setting.”
Nonetheless, not all re-awakings are that simple and easy. Many attempts were made by investors to revive the distillery, but to no avail. One of the most prominent intents was led by Arran Brewery.
According to a report on Descanter, the brewery tried to convert Rosebank into a brewery, bottling hall, and micro-distillery. The project was abandoned in 2014 and the old distillery remained on the pages of history.
Following other attempts and ventures, the site was bought in 2017 by the Russel family. These are the owners of the Ian Macleod Distillery and they also purchased the “Rosebank ” brand name. This is precisely where we are today.
With this milestone in mind, Rosebank has created its first distillery exclusive, Rosebank Vintage 1989. The 33-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, bottled at its natural strength of 47.5% abv, is derived from the oldest stock in the Rosebank legacy.
A limited number of 650 bottles will be available at the distillery gift shop. Distillery manager Malcolm Rennie will sign bottles following the sale.