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Rosebank 21 years

malty fresh
4.5
(4)€2,112Scotland, Lowland, Single Malt

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Whisky character

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Warm
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Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

Rosebank fell silent in 1993, its stills switched off just as this cask was filled. For years, whisky writers called it the finest Lowland malt ever made, the self-styled King of the Lowlands. Triple distillation, an old Lowland habit, gives the spirit a lighter, more delicate character than its Highland cousins. Here that shows as orange peel and honeycomb, a floral lift of lavender, and a green edge of fresh apple. Cocoa and cream round out the middle before a herbal, minty finish. Decades resting in oak add real depth without burying the fruit. Pour it neat and take your time.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Rosebank

A wine merchant named James Rankine set up Rosebank in 1840, on the banks of the Forth and Clyde canal at Camelon near Falkirk. It became one of the finest names in Scotland's Lowland region. Drinkers came to call it the King of the Lowlands. The whisky owed much of its delicate, floral character to triple distillation. That extra third pass through the stills was a Lowland tradition that few distilleries still kept alive. Rosebank held onto it to the end. Its owners mothballed the distillery in 1993, partly because a costly upgrade to its effluent treatment made it unviable. Ian Macleod Distillers bought the site and the trademarks in 2017. After a careful restoration, spirit finally flowed again in 2023.

4.5Average rating

15Whiskies on Distilld

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Most popular whiskies from Rosebank

About the Rosebank 21 years

Rosebank 21 years is a single malt Scotch whisky from the Lowland region of Scotland. Rosebank distillery sits on the Forth and Clyde canal in Camelon. This cask was filled before the stills fell silent in 1993. Diageo bottled this expression in 2014 as part of its Special Releases series. At 21 years old and 55.3% ABV, it carries real weight for a Lowland malt. Whisky lovers know Rosebank as the self-proclaimed King of the Lowlands, prized long after the distillery closed. Rosebank distillery operated for more than 150 years before its closure in 1993. It triple distilled its spirit, a Lowland tradition rare even in Scotland's gentler south. That extra pass through the still stripped out heavier notes and left something lighter and more floral. Michael Jackson once called Rosebank's closure a grievous loss to Scotch whisky. Ian Macleod Distillers eventually bought the site and revived production in 2023, decades after this cask was laid down. Open the glass and orange peel and citrus lead, backed by honeycomb and fresh honey sweetness. Lavender and other floral notes drift through, alongside a herbal touch of mint and spearmint. Papaya and apple bring a fresh fruit edge that Lowland whisky is known for. Cocoa and cream soften things in the middle, while a trace of anise adds a savoury, malty backbone. Oak shows up late, giving structure without overpowering the fruit. This is a whisky to drink neat, in a proper glass, with time to breathe. Rosebank 21 years rewards patience more than a quick sip. Fans of delicate, fruit-forward malts will find plenty to explore here. From the citrus top notes to the oaky finish. Because so few Rosebank casks from this era survive, each bottle carries genuine rarity. For collectors and curious drinkers alike, it stands as a fitting tribute to the King of the Lowlands.