Reviving, Restoring, and Resurrecting the Rosebank Distillery
In this relevant interview, I posed various technical and personal questions to Rosebank Distillery manager Malcolm Rennie about his quest to restore Rosebank to its former glory.
Continue reading to discover more about the challenges Malcolm and his team have faced, as well as a thorough and intriguing look into how things function at the Falkirk distillery, and what Malcom does in his free time.
Could you explain your work as Rosebank Distillery Manager to those who are unfamiliar with what you do?
At the moment the building works for Rosebank are ongoing, so most of my time is taken up with helping liaise between the different contractors and consultants involved in the project to ensure things like the Distillery plant installation runs smoothly. Another major job is ensuring prior to starting to produce spirit that we fulfil all or obligations with regards to Health and Safety and Regulatory Compliance.
Also at this time in preparation of producing the new Rosebank spirit we have already recruited an experienced production team, and I’ve been concentrating on how best to run the Distillery process to give us the correct style of spirit that will uphold Rosebank’s iconic reputation.
Rosebank will soon be brought back to its original glory. What are some of the challenges you and your team have encountered in attempting to restore the Rosebank Distillery?
Firstly, the site itself is in a built-up urban environment hemmed in by a main road on one side and the canal on the other and residential flats behind, which all pose real challenges from a construction perspective. Then obviously Covid stopped the project for 2 years. Once the build was well underway world events conspired to create supply chain issues, not just for building materials, but some electronic components integral to the Distillery operating system became virtually unobtainable. All these factors inevitably resulted in unavoidable delays for both the building and Process plant installations which are inextricably linked. However, we are only doing this once and are determined to do it correctly, to a standard we are all happy with. If that means some delays along the way, we will live with that. Just like creating great whisky, patience is paramount.
Will there be any difference in the whisky since Rosebank's closure in the 1990s, or is the Distillery striving to mimic the historic ways used before closure as closely as possible?
Our aim is to create a spirit of very similar style to that produced at Rosebank prior to its closure in 1993. We have gone to great lengths to mirror the old Rosebank production process as best we can. We’ve installed 3 Stills manufactured from the original blueprints and similarly reinstalled Worm Tub Condensers and 8 Douglas Fir Washbacks. We don’t have the luxury of any original Rosebank new make to work with, but I am very confident with the process plant and team we have in place we will produce a modern reimagined interpretation that will be very recognisably Rosebank.
Can you tell us then in detail, exactly why 'Triple Distillation' and 'Worm Tub Condensers' are essential for Rosebank whisky?
I think the Rosebank is really defined as this perfect balance of the lighter, smoother, estery, floral side. But it also incorporates that heftier element with added depth and body to it.
It’s these two quite different components which tie in with both Triple Distillation and Worm Tub Condensers.
Triple Distillation, is always going to give you a lighter, smoother spirit by the very fact that the third distillation will help remove more of the heavier congeners giving a more ethereal estery style.
The interesting thing about Rosebank’s three Stills is that they are very individual in their own right, and undoubtedly contribute their own part to the conundrum that is Rosebank new make.
The Wash Still has had the top of its swan neck chopped off and capped, with the lyne arm stuck on the side of the neck below the cap. (Possibly a symptom of the original design still not fitting in the building?)
The Intermediate Still is an elegant, tall, slim necked beauty that will give lots of reflux and a lovely fruity distillate.
The Spirit Still is on the shorter, dumpier side and will start introducing more of a balanced distillate with slightly more depth. So, this Still setup starts us on the road with the lighter smoother side of Rosebank
The extra dimension of body, depth and texture is where the Worm Tubs play their part.
Worm Tubs are a very simple concept of a long copper pipe coiled inside a Vat or Tub, of cold water. The main difference between the more modern shell and tube condenser is that spirit vapour from the Stills will more readily/quickly condense back to liquid, this results in less copper contact in the spirit vapour phase which contributes to a heavier, oily characteristic to the spirit.
With ambient temperature of cooling water in the Tub being very important we intend to explore how we may be able to add more body (colder winter) or less (warm summer) or a combination of either, by adjusting water flow rates through the Worm Tubs. All exciting stuff that the team are looking forward to.
These different components of Triple Distillation and Worm Tub Condensers come together and balance beautifully and are uniquely rare in Scotland. And are what ultimately define Rosebank.
As technology advances, what approaches or procedures are you employing that were not available in the 1990s?
The main technological advances we will be implementing over the 1990’s Rosebank will undoubtedly be the use of automation throughout the production process. A full SCADA based operating system will be installed enabling full visibility in real time of every aspect of the process such as tank levels, temperatures, and flow rates etc. This allows all operations to be fully monitored and controlled by just one operator. From a sustainability viewpoint, the latest free flow heat exchangers and the use of agitators in our washbacks will help to lift the yeast cells that collect at the bottom of the Washback and put them into suspension in the wash. This minimises the use of cleaning water required.
What can visitors expect when they visit the fully operational Rosebank distillery?
Firstly, a very warm welcome awaits everyone who visits, from Falkirk locals to overseas visitors alike. We are really excited to show everyone the newly resurrected Rosebank.
They can expect a spectacular Distillery with a very spacious and welcoming production building and a similarly stunning Visitor experience housed in the old original Distillery Maltings and Warehouse buildings. A very immersive tour and tasting experience will be offered at varying levels from total “beginner” to “super geek”, so something for everyone.
What do you like to do to relax when you're not working? Do you have any interests or hobbies other than the whisky industry?
I must admit I do love watching motorsport especially motorcycling. Unfortunately, (or fortunately if you take my wife’s view) I’m not riding myself at the moment, so I’m usually glued to the tv watching MotoGP or Superbikes most weekends. I also take my wife’s advice and love walking with her and our two mini schnauzers, much safer, most of the time!!
Find out more @rosebankwhisky Rosebank.com
