Rosebank 11 Years Old 1983 (Connoisseurs Choice)

This Rosebank was from the independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail matured to 11 year old, from 1983 and bottled at 40%. The Lowland Rosebank, founded by James Rankine in 1840 beside the Forth and Clyde Canal, was shut by its owners in 1993. Its last spirit ran in 1993, a finite legacy revered ever since.

It was distilled three times and passed through traditional worm tub condensers, giving the delicate yet weighty character it was famed for. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding only a light honeyed sweetness. Younger here, it keeps a crisp, green freshness over light honey. The light triple distilled base lets cask character show clearly even after long years. Blenders prized the malt for its elegant, floral character and unusual weight. Closed in 1993, the site fell derelict and its copper stills were stolen in 2008. Ian Macleod rescued the distillery, the trademark and the last casks, reopening it in 2023.

At 40% it is supple and fragrant. A gentle vanilla and coconut from the wood runs under gooseberry and fresh grass. A beeswax and a tropical fruit give it real depth. Marzipan and citrus see out a long finish. This is one of the great ghost whiskies of the Lowlands.