Wines made from Kerner grapes - Page 3

The distillery was mothballed in 1993 by United Distillers & Vintners (UDV), now part of Diageo, but is being revived by new owner Ian Macleod Distillers (IMD). Rosebank sits in the town of Falkirk, partway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and lies within Scotch whisky’s ‘Lowland’ region. The distillery, which is due to open to tourists in 2024, was renowned for its spirit’s light, fruity and floral character, which was prized by blenders and earned it the nickname ‘the King of the Lowlands’. ...

The voice drops a little; the tone grows more reverential. Everyone knows; everyone understands. There will be wry allusions to a quest, perhaps even the grail. Sacrifice is expected en route; failure (always forgiven: a badge of honour) beckons on every side. Kitted up, your hopes armour-plated? I might be talking about planting vines on a cleared slope, or simply about taking the corkscrew to a ridiculously expensive bottle of wine, but you all know by now what’s meant. Pinot Noir. ‘Pinotism’ ...

Whisky is emphatically a product of place. The flavours in the glass conjure images of the spirit’s origin, from an Islay malt’s distinctive peat smoke to the exotic perfume of a Japanese blend. Traditionally, however, that local accent is lost when spirit is filled into cask. The vast majority of Scotch malts and blends, for example, are matured in oak sourced from thousands of miles away, and previously used to age bourbon or Sherry. Some whiskies might venture into more exotic territory. Thin ...