Rosebank : 32 Year Old 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel Recollection Gordon & MacPhail 1991

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Rosebank 32 Years Old 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel Recollection Gordon & MacPhail 1991

Tasting

Nose
Remarkably complex, the bouquet opens with a zesty freshness of lime peel and orange rind, intimately interwoven with floral notes of gorse and honeysuckle. The bourbon cask influence then reveals itself through indulgent touches of milk chocolate, butterscotch and coconut, before giving way to a burst of tropical fruits (passion fruit, dried banana) and honeyed pear, all underscored by a delicate chalky minerality.

Palate
The attack is velvety, unctuous and delicately creamy. It unfolds an unabashed indulgence around vanilla fudge, honey and poached pear. The palate is quickly enlivened by a beautiful exotic vibrancy carried by guava and passion fruit, balanced by the freshness of green apple. The whole is masterfully structured by an elegant woodiness of cedar and toasted oak, enhanced with a hint of sweet spices, white pepper and cardamom. The finish, medium to long, prolongs this pleasure on notes of papaya, creamy apple and a refreshing touch of freshly cut grass and mint.

Food pairings and tasting moments
This exceptional single malt, with its 32 years of maturation, more than stands on its own. To capture all its nuances, enjoy it neat, at room temperature, in a tulip-shaped glass. Its natural strength of 51.2% being perfectly integrated, the addition of water is not essential, although a few drops can release even more of its floral and exotic aromas. It will wonderfully accompany a moment of meditation or bring a meal to a glorious close.

Mixology
As an absolute rarity, this liquid masterpiece does not lend itself to any mixological fancy. It demands to be savoured neat, without the slightest artifice, to honour its three decades of patience in wood.

Other characteristics
This single malt is unpeated, faithful to the tradition of its region of origin. It is bottled at its natural cask strength of 51.2% vol, drawn from a single cask (Single Cask No. 2114) and presented in an elegant gift box.

The timeless elegance of a Scottish Single Malt: the rebirth of Rosebank

Rosebank: The King of the Lowlands resurrected
Founded in 1840 by James Rankine on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal at Falkirk, the Rosebank distillery established itself as an iconic figure of Scottish whisky. Nicknamed the "King of the Lowlands", it built its legend on a rare production method combining triple distillation and the use of traditional worm tub condensers. This technical alchemy lends its spirits a floral lightness coupled with a rich and complex texture. Closed in 1993, the distillery experienced more than two decades of silence before being acquired in 2017 by Ian Macleod Distillers. The current owner has undertaken a meticulous reconstruction of the site, restarting distillation in 2023 while preserving Rosebank's historical technical heritage, thus opening a new chapter for this priceless liquid legacy.

A historic liquid testimony: 32 Years Old 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel Recollection Gordon & MacPhail
The 32 Years Old 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel Recollection Gordon & MacPhail is a true time capsule, capturing the essence of the distillery's former era of production before its closure. Distilled on 3 July 1991, this Single Malt Scotch whisky has benefited from an exceptionally long maturation of more than three decades.

The historic independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail selected a first-fill bourbon cask for this maturation. This choice of American oak enriched the light and floral distillate typical of the Lowlands with deep notes of vanilla, honey and sweet spices, while developing a fascinating tropical fruit profile over the years.

Part of the prestigious Recollection Series #3, which shines a light on closed or silent distilleries, this 1991 whisky was bottled on 18 June 2024 at its natural strength of 51.2% vol. Offered in an extremely limited edition, it represents one of the oldest and rarest expressions ever released for this distillery. This bottle, dressed in a label illustrated by the artist Emmy Bruno Mangyoku, offers enthusiasts and collectors the unique opportunity to taste a forgotten masterpiece, an irreplaceable testimony to historic craftsmanship.