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It’s at all times an unlimited disgrace when a distillery is compelled to shut, or worse nonetheless, be knocked down and demolished. When that occurs, not solely does a working distillery exit of enterprise, however we additionally lose an vital a part of historical past.
Up till just lately, one in all Scotland’s most well-known mothballed distilleries was the Rosebank. A mothballed, or ‘silent’ distillery is one which continues to be intact, however is not operational. Falkirk’s Rosebank Distillery was a primary instance of this.
After having been closed for over three many years, rumours of funding and refurbishment started to flow into. These rumours proved to be true and at last, in 2017, Ian Macleod Distillers introduced that they’d be restoring the historic monument.
Rosebank is a distillery we’re notably keen on right here at Nice Drams, largely on account of its historical past. It’s a Falkirk monument that’s each bit as well-known because the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel – which occurs to take a seat on the identical canal community as Rosebank.
That is the story of the reawakening of the Rosebank Distillery.
King of the Lowlands
The Rosebank Distillery has roots relationship all the way in which again to 1840.
Like a lot of its ilk, the distillery got here from very humble beginnings. It was based by a tea blender and wine service provider by the identify of James Rankine.
Rankine clearly knew his stuff and his background in wine and tea mixing proved very helpful. He transformed the close by Camelon distillery right into a distillery specialising in whisky. It grew from right here and have become part of UDV (United Distillers and Vintners) who have been one in all many predecessors for world drinks big Diageo.
The distillery, immediately recognisable from miles because of its towering Victorian red-brick chimney, loved big success for over a century. A lot so in reality, that the distillery was known as the ‘King of the Lowlands’.
The distillery was identified far and huge and was particularly in style amongst native college youngsters. Rosebank would often discharge their wood worm tubs into the canal, notably Loch 11. When this occurred, the water would bubble, and steam would erupt. The children would see this and yell ‘Rosebank’s gone’! Most of the youngsters would dive into the canal and go swimming because the water can be hotter. Some even learnt to swim right here.
One other story tells of the tasting room within the loch keeper’s cottage and the way a faucet was found right here, with a pipe main into the distillery’s spirit receiver. Think about having your individual non-public whisky faucet? That’s some subsequent degree spirit theft proper there.
In direction of the tip of the 1900s nevertheless, issues started to vary, and never for the higher…
Gathering Storm Clouds
When you occur to be of a sure age, or know your British historical past, you’ll know that the Seventies and 80s have been notably tough. The UK discovered itself in recession, power utilization was rationed, there have been protests and strikes, and inflation was additionally uncontrolled. Sounds kind of acquainted, proper?
Through the Seventies, as oil costs surged, power was rationed, and payments elevated, individuals and companies have been compelled to chop again. The demand for luxuries resembling wonderful Scotch whisky started to dwindle, and within the Eighties distilleries had an inflow of Scotch that they couldn’t do away with.
Many distilleries have been compelled to shut and though she put up combat, the Rosebank Distillery was additionally compelled to shut in 1993, with the location being bought by the British Waterways Board (Now generally known as Scottish Canals), 9 years later.
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