ROSEBANK DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES ITS OFFICIAL REOPENING DATE

Ian Macleod Distillers, has today announced the official reopening date for its Rosebank Distillery, which has undergone a multi-million pound restoration, following its closure in 1993.

According to the brand, Rosebank which will officially open its doors to the public later this year on June 7th, will bring a sense of striking modern architecture blended with some of the original distillery, honouring the building’s heritage.

Rosebank Distillery announces its official reopening date

Located on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal, Rosebank was bought by Ian Macleod Distillers in 2017. Once planning permission was green lighted in 2019, the four year period of restoration began. Following its completion, production at the distillery restarted for the first time in over 30 years in July 2023.

The distillery’s Victorian red brickwork faces the Forth and Clyde canal, whilst a spectacular new glass-fronted stillroom is visible from the front of the building, where visitors will find exact copies of the original stills, painstakingly replicated in shape using blueprints salvaged from the Rosebank archives.

The original mill, thought to be around 103 years old, has been retained and continues to be used in the production of Rosebank’s whisky. A new dunnage style warehouse has been built from the bricks of its historic counterpart, which now showcases precious casks of the original Rosebank alongside the first casks of the new Rosebank spirit.

Rosebank’s landmark 108ft chimney stack has also been repaired and continues to dominate Falkirk’s skyline. 

Commenting on the news, Leonard Russell, Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, which also owns Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Edinburgh Gin, said: “I could see that Rosebank Distillery was held in extremely high regard and it was a huge shame that it closed when it was distilling some of the best spirit for the Scotch whisky industry. Being small, Rosebank was one of the more expensive whiskies to produce, but in my view that’s no reason to close a distillery. Its reopening will be a very special moment for its hometown of Falkirk, for the Scotch industry and for whisky lovers everywhere.”

In addition to the new distillery, the new Rosebank site includes a world-class visitor experience for guests, including six tasting rooms, which have been designed to welcome whisky lovers from around the world.

Tours will start from £25 per person, up to £300, and will be available every day of the week.

Posted by Steve Rush

DALMORE LAUNCHES NEW LIMITED EDITION COLLABORATIVE RELEASES WITH V&A DUNDEE

The Dalmore has announced the launch of the second chapter of releases in its Luminary Series - in collaboration with V&A Dundee, which is said to bring together luminaries from the worlds of whisky and architectural design.

The Dalmore Luminary Series, is comprised of a glass amber sculpture and collectable presentation case, which houses two rare Highland single malt whiskies.

Dalmore launches new limited-edition collaborative releases with V&A Dundee

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition (40.6% ABV) is a 49 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky, which was matured in a combination of American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks, Port Colheita, Apostoles Sherry and a selection of unique hybrid casks.

The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition (48.6% ABV) is a single malt Scotch whisky, which was matured in a combination of Bourbon casks, Graham’s Tawny Port pipes, Apostoles Sherry casks, and a small portion in peated, hand-selected, ex-refill Bourbon casks.

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition sees the whisky and its sculptural housing designed by Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, together with Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE.

The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition, comes housed in a presentation case that echoes the glowing, swirling design of The Rare sculpture.

Leung and The Dalmore whisky makers have worked side by side to share and examine where their intricate skills and knowledge converge. The result of the close collaboration is two, beautiful new releases that creatively stretch the signature styles of Zaha Hadid Architects and The Dalmore.

Commenting on the launch, Gregg Glass, said: “This was a true meeting of minds, and the new releases beautifully express the shared journey we’ve all been on. While crafting our two new whiskies, we used the technique of time – nurtured carefully to transform through blending – to elevate The Dalmore to a new level. Flavour, colour and form meet together in a holistic sensory experience with swirls of texture, depth, complexity and nuance. We are delighted to finally be sharing these special whiskies with the world.”

Melodie Leung, added: “Experiencing The Dalmore’s outstanding craftsmanship first-hand and being initiated into the complex world of whisky making by Gregg and Richard provided extremely fertile ground for design inspiration. The sculpture we created for The Rare was inspired by our fascinating discussions around the interaction and flow of flavour notes in the whisky-making process. It mirrors the multiple layers of ageing and blending that went into creating this whisky, which is the exquisite product of nature channelled over time.”

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition, will be offered at auction with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee. The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition, will be available next month from specialist retailers, for a RRP of £275.

Posted by Steve Rush