Rosebank appoints distillery manager ahead of reopening

Scotch whisky maker Rosebank has announced the appointment of a new distillery manager ahead of the site's opening.

Malcolm Rennie joins the Lowland producer with 35 years' distilling experience spanning the length and breadth of the industry and country, having worked with brands such as Ardbeg on Islay and Glen Moray in Speyside.

Most recently, he assisted with the opening of Ayrshire's Lochlea Distillery, supporting the team through the process of distillation and maturation until its first whisky came of age. He also helped to reopen the Annandale Distillery.

As Rosebank's distillery manager, Rennie will oversee the entire production process. He will work with Ian Macleod Distillers' group distillation manager Robbie Hughes and malt master John Glass.

Of his appointment, Rennie said: "Rosebank is an iconic distillery, so it is an absolute honour to be given the opportunity to help bring it back to life. The whisky is incredibly well regarded in the industry because of its unique and somewhat contradictory production process. The triple distillation gives you a light and fruity spirit, but then we run it through a worm-tub condenser which adds real body, texture and weight to the new make.

"Beyond just the whisky, Rosebank represents the life and memories of the local Falkirk community. It's a town with an intrinsic connection to the distillery - many of whom are reminded of the smells and sounds of whisky at the mere sight of the iconic chimney."

After construction delays due to the pandemic, the revamped distillery is set to begin production in late summer 2022. The new build has been nestled around the distillery's 108ft chimney. Delivery of the new stills is expected in the coming weeks; they have been produced by Forsyths to the exact dimensions of those used at Rosebank when it was last operational in the 1990s.

4 February 2022 - Bethany Whymark