Rosebank 1978 SMWS 25.4

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends lead by tax accountant Phillip ‘Pip’ Hills as a private members club. The concept behind the society was to source casks from all over Scotland which would then be bottled and made available exclusively to its members. Perhaps the most famous feature of these bottles are the unique codes. Each distillery is represented by a different number and the following digits indicate that particular release. That same year, the SMWS set up its first location in Leith’s Vault buildings in Edinburgh where it still stands today.

This whisky was distilled in October 1978 and bottled in October 1991. It was the fourth offering of Rosebank from the SMWS.

Rosebank is a much-sought after Lowland single malt. The distillery was initially shortlisted by United Distillers as their Lowland entry to the Classic Malts series when it was slated for launch in 1988, but was eventually substituted for Glenkinchie on the belief that it provided better opportunities for tourism. Rosebank was then shut down in 1993, but has recently been acquired by Ian Macleod Distillers, who have a view to resurrecting this classic lost distillery in the near future.