Scotch Whisky Legends: Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated Distillers Company/Zenith Eighties

Rosebank Distillery lastly restarted manufacturing after 30 years of silence in July final yr, a lot to the delight of whisky followers who had lengthy lamented the ‘King of the Lowlands’. Since its closure, Rosebank followers have been sustained by restricted version releases from proprietor Ian Macleod Distillers, in addition to some impartial bottlings. Now, with the stills fired up as soon as once more, it could solely be a number of quick years earlier than we see new Rosebank whisky come to market. 

Given this thrilling prospect, I believed it will be becoming to check out an older Rosebank whisky for this week’s Scotch Whisky Legends. Let’s speak in regards to the historical past, costs, and Serge Valentin’s tasting notes for the Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated Distillers Company, bottled within the Eighties and imported for Zenith Italia. 

The Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated Distillers Company/Zenith Import, Bottled Eighties

Within the Eighties, Rosebank Distillery was owned by Distillers Firm Restricted (now Diageo). The corporate offered quite a lot of Rosebank casks to the Italian importer, G.P. Bonfanti for his distribution firm, Zenith Italia. 

This Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated whisky itself was distilled at Rosebank someday within the Sixties, and bottled for The Distillers Company, primarily based in Edinburgh, earlier than being exported to Italy the place the urge for food for single malt scotch was on the rise. 

Bottled at a full-proof 57%, this 20 Yr Outdated Rosebank is a gem for any Rosebank collector, particularly contemplating that the primary official 8 Yr Outdated expression (not together with the ‘Ascot Malt Cellar’ 8 Yr Outdated, launched six years prior) was not launched till 1988. Serge Valentin had the pleasure of sampling one in all simply 2,580 bottles ever produced. A 15 Yr Outdated expression was additionally produced for Zenith Italia. 

Rosebank Distillery was closed in 1993 as a result of unwillingness of then-owner UDV, to finish an estimated £2 million renovation to the on-site therapy plant. 

Serge Valentin’s Tasting Notes On The Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated Distillers Company/Zenith Import, Bottled Eighties

Serge Valentin sampled the Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated in April 2008. Here’s what he needed to say: 

“Color: pale gold. 

“Nostril: identical to the 1967, it’s a bit shy at first nosing, however then it will get much more on coal smoke and shoe polish, like most of the previous dumpies by Cadenhead. Additionally extra kumquats and lemon marmalade, however I’m positive water can be wanted once more. So, with water: plain shoe polish! Jogs my memory of my days within the military – don’t ask me why I like shoe polish then. Faint whiffs of moist canine (not military canine). 

“Mouth (neat): fantabulous assault, however not one that will please everybody. Thick and oily, beginning extraordinarily tarry and virtually metallic (nah, this bottle had a cork stopper), with the lemony notes beginning to act in your tongue like myriads of mini-explosions (err, or one thing like that). Then it’s kumquats, bitter oranges, mastic, peanut butter, lemon-flavoured toffee, crystallised fruits (all types)… Wowie! 

“With water: even higher, much more complicated. Beautiful whisky. End: we haven’t gotten all day, have we? Feedback: a legendary bottle, an ode to the Lowlands of Scotland (don’t be foolish, Serge.) SGP:662 – 93 factors.” – Serge Valentin, WhiskyFun.com, April 2008 

Public sale Costs

Given the rarity of Rosebank distillate from the Sixties, it’s no shock that this bottle instructions a premium at public sale. In response to my analysis, this bottle has been offered at public sale simply 28 occasions, with its first look being in August 2016. 

The present public sale report sits at £3,401, achieved at Whisky Auctioneer in October 2021. As for the present vary, market softening means that you could snatch up this Rosebank 20 Yr Outdated for between £1,250 and £1,600. 

A Temporary Historical past of Rosebank Distillery

The historical past of Rosebank Distillery could be traced again to 1798, when distilling was first recorded within the space. Formally named ‘Rosebank’ in 1817, the distillery grew to become absolutely operational within the early nineteenth century. Many attribute the distillery’s opening to the Firth and Clyde Canal, which opened in 1790 and offered easy accessibility to the distillery. 

The distillery that we all know immediately, nevertheless, started in 1840 when James Rankine acquired the maltings of the Camelon Distillery. Rosebank Distillery Ltd was shaped in 1894, and in 1914 it grew to become a part of Scottish Malt Distillers. In 1925, the distillery was folded in DCL. 

Regardless of a fame for high-quality single malts, the productive distillery was mothballed in 1993 by UDV as a result of pricey want for renovation. In reality, the distillery might have been saved, had it been chosen to characterize the Lowlands in UDV’s Traditional Malts Choice. Glenkinchie was chosen as a substitute. 

The following years noticed the sale of the positioning to British Waterways and the theft of Rosebank’s stills. Hopes that the distillery would reopen now appeared unfounded. 

Nevertheless, in 2017, Ian Macleod Distillers acquired the positioning and introduced plans to revive Rosebank. The distillery stuffed its first casks in virtually 30 years in 2021, and started welcoming guests this summer time (2024).