Roseisle distillery information
Normally, when you think of a Scottish whisky distillery, you would typically think of an old charming building with some pagoda roofs. In the case of Roseisle you would be dead wrong. It resembles an industrial plant more than a whisky distillery, but appearances can certainly be deceiving. Part of the reason it resembles an industrial site is that the distillery, north-west of Elgin, shares the space with the Roseisle Maltings, which were established in 1979. The actual distillery takes up a fairly modest part of the site, and while it looks modern, I personally find it quite a tasteful style of modern.
Construction for the gigantic complex (the first major distillery to be build in Scotland in almost 30 years) commenced in the autumn of 2007, and combines tradition with innovative new techniques. The washbacks arrived a year later, in the spring of 2008, followed by the stills in the summer of the same year. The building was finished in Spring 2009, and the distillery was officially opened in autumn 2010. The cost for the distillery was 40 million GBP.
4 of the stills have the ability to switch between traditional copper worm-tubs and modern stainless steel condensors, which thus allows the distiller to influence the style of the whisky produced. Worm-tubs for light, condensers for heavier spirit.
Next to the distillery itself, there’s a bio-energy plant, where by-products of the distillation process are turned into green energy.
Roseisle Whiskies
The intention for the distillery is to produce two different types of “speyside-style” whisky meant for blends; The first batches were available for blending in 2012. However, Diageo announced there would also be a single malt release (albeit it might only be available for the workers on site).
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Roseisle |
| Region | Speyside |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Water source | Local underground water supply |
| Malting floor | ? |
| Owned by | Diageo |
| Address |
Diageo Roseisle Distillery +44 (0) 1343 832 100 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | ? tonnes | 2 |
| Washback | 14 (Stainless steel) litres | ? |
| Wash still | ? litres | 7 |
| Spirit Still | ? litres | 7 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 10,000,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Roseisle, north-west of Elgin, shares its site with the Roseisle Maltings, established in 1979, and the distillery itself takes up a fairly modest part of the larger complex, giving it a modern, industrial appearance rather than the pagoda-roofed look typically associated with Scottish distilleries.
Roseisle was the first major distillery built in Scotland in almost 30 years. Construction began in autumn 2007, with washbacks arriving in spring 2008 and stills following that summer. The building was completed in spring 2009, and the distillery officially opened in autumn 2010, at a cost of 40 million GBP.
Four of Roseisle’s stills can switch between traditional copper worm tubs and modern stainless steel condensers, letting the distiller influence the style of whisky produced: worm tubs for a lighter spirit, condensers for a heavier one.
Yes. Next to the distillery is a bio-energy plant that converts by-products of the distillation process into green energy.
Roseisle was built to produce two different styles of “Speyside-style” whisky intended for blends, with the first batches available for blending in 2012. Diageo has also indicated a single malt release would follow, though it may be limited to those working on site.
No, Roseisle does not have a visitor centre.