Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk: The King of the Lowlands Reborn

Overview

Rosebank was once called the “King of the Lowlands”. It is a triple-distilled malt from Camelon, Falkirk, on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. The writer Michael Jackson called it the finest Lowland malt. It was mothballed in 1993, and its original stills were stolen by metal thieves in 2008–09, which seemed to be the end. Then Ian Macleod Distillers, owners of Glengoyne, bought the name and site in 2017 and rebuilt it. Spirit flowed again in 2023, and the distillery opened to visitors in 2024, winning a five-star VisitScotland rating.

Where it is

Rosebank stands beside the Forth and Clyde Canal in Camelon, on the western side of Falkirk. Edinburgh and Glasgow are each about 25 miles away. The Falkirk Wheel is a mile or so west along the canal, and the Kelpies are about 4 miles east.

The full history

King of the Lowlands

Distilling in Camelon dates back to 1798. James Rankine founded Rosebank on its present site in 1840, beside the canal that carried grain in and whisky out. Rosebank made its name with triple distillation, the traditional Lowland method that gives a light, floral, delicate spirit. Through the 19th and 20th centuries it was the most admired of all Lowland malts.

DCL and closure

Rosebank passed through mergers into the Distillers Company. In 1993 its owners mothballed it, saying it would cost too much to upgrade its waste-water treatment. In 2002 the buildings were sold to British Waterways, and in 2008–09 thieves stole the original copper stills, which were never recovered. For collectors, old Rosebank became a prized “lost” malt.

Rebirth

In October 2017 Ian Macleod Distillers bought the Rosebank trademark from Diageo and the site from Scottish Canals. They rebuilt the distillery, installing new stills made to the original design. Production restarted in 2023, and the distillery opened to visitors in summer 2024. It won Best Regeneration Project at the 2024 Herald Property Awards and was longlisted for the RIAS Best Building in Scotland award in 2025.

How it’s made

Rosebank is once again triple-distilled, in three pot stills: two wash stills and one spirit still. Capacity is about 560,000 litres a year, and water comes from the Carron Valley Reservoir. The spirit is fruity, floral and grassy.

Romans, battles & clans

• The Antonine Wall: Rome’s northern frontier ran right past Camelon. The best-preserved section, with the fort at Rough Castle, is near the Falkirk Wheel.
• The Battles of Falkirk: Wallace was defeated here in 1298, and the Jacobites won at Falkirk Muir in 1746.
• The Livingstons held Callendar House, now a free museum in Falkirk. Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, is 8 miles east. See Clan Stewart.

Canals, lochs & churches

• The Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift, joining the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union Canal.
• Falkirk Trinity Church, where Wallace’s companions Sir John de Graham and Sir John Stewart are buried.
• Carron Valley Reservoir, the distillery’s water source, in the Campsie hills. See our lochs guide and our standing stones guide.

The canal

The Forth and Clyde Canal, completed in 1790, was the first canal to cross Scotland from coast to coast. It linked the Forth at Grangemouth with the Clyde at Bowling. Rosebank was built beside it so barges could bring in grain and coal and carry away casks of whisky. The canal closed in 1963. It was restored and reopened in 2001, along with the Falkirk Wheel, and the towpath beside the distillery is now a popular walking and cycling route.

Visiting

Rosebank has a five-star visitor centre with tours and tastings. Book ahead on the distillery’s website. Combine it with the Falkirk Wheel, the Kelpies and the Antonine Wall.

Nearby distilleries

• Falkirk Distillery, Polmont (about 5 miles).
• Deanston, near Doune (about 20 miles).
• Glengoyne (about 25 miles): Ian Macleod’s other distillery.
• Holyrood, Edinburgh (about 25 miles).

The Edinburgh & Forth Whisky Trail and the whisky hub cover the region.

Sources

• Rosebank distillery — Wikipedia.
• Rosebank, official site.