Rosebank Distillery has completed initial distillation runs after 30 years silence and cask no. 001 is now maturing. The new spirit is maturing in a refill bourbon barrel which will create a rich, fruity, and floral whisky, reminiscent of the original Rosebank’s signature flavour profile. This is a major milestone on the distillery’s restoration journey since the reconstruction began in 2019. Ian Macleod Distillers has lovingly restored the Falkirk-based distillery from the ground up at its original location. 

With close attention to detail, the new distillery has retained the format of the original production plant. Blueprints of the original stills were found and used to recreate the shape and characteristics of those from the original distillery. New worm tub condensers have been installed replacing the original ones. They impart a special element of the Rosebank distillation process and yield a heavier style of spirit as there is less copper contact during vapour condensation. The landmark chimney has been repaired and continues to dominate the skyline and centres the distillery site.  

From 2024, the distillery will offer a world-class visitor experience for Rosebank fans around the world, with the finishing touches being applied to a series of amazing spaces across the historic site. The final key element of the last part of the build is a two-storey car park ensuring the local community are shielded from visitor parking needs. The car park could allow more than 50,000 whisky visitors to visit the highly anticipated attraction each year.

Malcolm Rennie, Distillery Manager at Rosebank, said: "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.

“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 honour to oversee the moment, and play a part in returning this once whisky giant to its former glory.”