Rosebank Reborn

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When I first started getting serious about single malt whisky, I was 28 years old and I was told by my various mentors at the time to buy as many bottles as I could afford from three distilleries in particular: Port Ellen, Brora, and Rosebank.

Back then, the prices for these silent distilleries were nothing to sneeze at, but they were a fraction of what you see on the market today.

If you’re new to single malt yourself, the reason this divine trinity drew—and continues to draw—such fanfare is because up until very recently these distilleries had been closed for many decades; Port Ellen and Brora shutdown in 1983, and Rosebank a decade later.

Of all the ghost whiskies still available in bottle, Port Ellen was the most coveted by far. It’s a peated Islay malt, to start, and for years it was the first building you saw when approaching the island (now most ferries dock at Port Askaig by Caol Ila), which created legions of new fans. Given the demand for Ardbeg and Lagavulin at the time, Port Ellen was like Stitzel-Weller Bourbon.

Brora was the clear insider favorite. The critical darling. Delicate and nuanced, it wasn’t the loudest voice in the room. It wouldn’t immediately wow you, or jump out of the glass the way that Port Ellen did, but once you got to know Brora there was no turning back. That waxy, lemony viscosity was unparalleled by any other malt.

Rosebank always played third fiddle to Port Ellen and Brora, much in the same way that Wild Turkey is outshined by the consumer love for Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill today. But for the true whiskey diehards, the Kickin’ Chicken is still tops on many a list out there. The same holds true for Rosebank.

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In order to learn about single malt back then, you still had to read books. There weren’t thousands of blogs and social media posts like there are today, documenting every nuance of every bottle ever produced. If you wanted to learn about Scotch, you turned to Michael Jackson.

I absolutely devoured Michael Jackson’s Whisky: The Definitive World Guide from the moment I procured my copy. The way he wrote about whisky, as well as the distilleries he recommended, greatly shaped how I viewed the single malt landscape at the time, and guided me to the adoration I still keep for certain producers today.

Michael Jackson loved Rosebank. After its closure in 1993, he lamented: “If there was a God, Rosebank would be produced again.”

Sadly, Michael passed away in 2007 and was never able to see the rebirth of Rosebank, but it’s clear he spoke to the big man upstairs and pulled a few strings on our behalf. In 2017, the long-mothballed distillery was purchased by Ian Macleod—owners of GlenGoyne and Tamdhu distilleries—and a plan to restore Rosebank to its former glory was hatched.

I remember the first time I went out drinking in Glasgow, walking through the cold Finnieston streets with Michael Jackson’s words running through my head:

“Some great whisky pubs exist in Glasgow, and are well worth visiting for a tasting session. It is in places such as these that the seeker of those elusive Lowlanders will have the most success. The whiskey they are most likely to be looking for is the finest of all—Rosebank.”

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Now to the question you’re likely asking yourself: If Rosebank is so amazing, why would Diageo decide to close one of its greatest distilleries? The answer is as uninspiring as the ultimate decision itself. It was about marketing rather than quality; tourism, more specifically.

When putting together its classic malt range, Diageo had to choose between its two core Lowlanders: Rosebank or Glenkinchie. According to Jackson: “Most people in the firm would have chosen Rosebank, but in marketing, image is all; Rosebank sat next to a disused canal and bridged a busy main road, while Glenkinchie lay in a pretty farmland, with more tourist appeal.”

Soon after, Diageo decided one Lowland distillery was more than enough, and the distillery was shut down for good.

Having had my fair share of Rosebank over the years, including the upcoming thirty year old release from new owners Ian Macleod (who bought back the remaining original stocks), I’m here to answer another burning question: What exactly makes Rosebank so good?

In one word: drinkability.

To elaborate on that, Rosebank’s beauty is similar to that of an old Midleton Irish Whiskey: its soft, fruity, golden-grained character warming your palate, passing supple on its way across your tongue, and leaving your taste buds with hedonistic notes of sweet barley, buttery biscuits, heather, and vanilla. It’s the ultimate session whisky; an elixir perfectly suited to the Glasgow pub experience I aspired to so many years ago. It’s Scotland in a bottle. It is the liquid essence of what makes drinking Scotch whisky so much fun.

Are there plenty of other, less-expensive, similarly-flavored whiskies on the market that won’t cost thousands of dollars for a single bottle? Of course, there are.

But they’re not Rosebank.

And given how little Rosebank is left on the market right now, those few remaining experiences come at a premium. It’s no different than a Rolling Stones concert in 2021. Mick Jagger only has so many shows left in him (and Charlie Watts is already out of the next tour), so if you want a chance to experience the magic before it’s gone forever, now’s the time.

Granted, there will be more Rosebank in the future, but I might very well be dead before it hits 30 years again.

We’re getting six bottles of the new Ian Macleod Rosebank 30 year into stock later this week, and I’m hoping they all find the right home. Since I know Mr. Jackson is up there watching out for his favorite whisky, I’m sure they will.

-David Driscoll

Instagram Live Tomorrow With Patric Richardson

Upon reviewing his book Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore, the Washington Post wrote about Patric Richardson: “One would be very fortunate, I think, to be Richardson’s friend or neighbor, share his optimism and joy in life’s seemingly small things.”

That’s exactly how I felt while reading Patric’s book, and later while watching his show on the Discovery Channel. The man simply exudes cheer. I could watch him wash clothes all day long and feel incredibly positive while doing so.

Why should any of you booze fans care about Laundry Love, the new bestseller that shot to the top of the Amazon charts after Kelly Ripa went gaga for it on the air? Because there’s a lot of alcohol involved.

First off, you’ll never look at vodka the same way again once you realize what it can do for your clothes.

Second, there’s not a wine professional out there who hasn’t swirled and spit at a Bordeaux tasting, accidentally spraying their favorite garment with the blowback. Patric can tell you how to take those red dots right out.

Third, Patric is from Kentucky and he LOVES Bourbon. So we’re gonna talk about that tomorrow as well.

But, most importantly, if you even remotely care about your clothes and how you look, Patric’s book can save you a fortune in dry cleaning bills. Speaking with him yesterday afternoon, I learned that California’s regulation of dry cleaning chemicals results in higher fees, so I’m thrilled to be doing some of this on my own now.

“Now you can use that money to buy more clothes!” he told me with a huge smile.

Join us at 4 PM tomorrow over at @missionliquor on Instagram to hear more from Patric. You won’t want to miss it.

-David Driscoll

The Boutique Era

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Like many people I know, I’ve spent the last year and a half of lockdown getting into new hobbies.

I’m not traveling. I’m not going out to eat very often. I’m not exploring the city’s cocktail culture. Hence, I’m spending that money on other interests.

The two genres that have specifically sucked me in during COVID are cigars and watches, which pretty much makes me the most basic dude on the planet right now. Both industries are exploding, and my Instagram feed is like an endless feast of new makes, models, and sizes. New watch. New cigar. New watch. New cigar. Keep scrolling.

But here’s the thing: much like American whiskey right now, almost none of these new brands are actually creating their product from scratch. Rather, they’re taking the components of another company’s product and putting their spin on it.

That’s not to diminish the value of what they’re bringing to market, but rather to say that, as a consumer, a little bit of homework can go a very long way. Do some research into where these products are being sourced and you can find some spectacular deals.

My current obsession is the Venice Beach-based Vaer, started in 2016 by two guys named Ryan Torres and Reagan Cook. They’re purchasing automatic movements (the guts of the watch) from ETA SA in Switzerland, as well as Miyota in Japan, and creating sleek, elegant designs from those core components. I’ve purchased one of each model thus far, and I’ve been so pleased with the result that I sold my 2002 Rolex Submariner last week (for a tidy profit) and have never looked back. The Vaer D5 looks just like it for about 15% of the price, and my A12 Dirty Dozen still gives me the Swiss-made street cred.

My other obsession is the Paulin Neo C, manufactured in Glasgow just down the street from the warehouse where I purchase most of my single casks abroad. These three Scottish sisters are using Seiko’s robust NH35A movement from Japan, applying a minimal modernist design to a fantastic engine. Their aesthetic is simply divine.

Are these companies making watches? It depends on how you look at it. Barrell Bourbon, to use a whiskey example, is using American whiskies from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana to design products for a new generation of drinkers. Sure, they’re using components that are already on the market (often in cheaper formats), but they’re creating something that speaks to the modern consumer (more so than Dickel No. 12). Are they making whiskey?

If I had to think of a direct comparison, I would equate the movement of a watch to the mash bill recipe of a whiskey. Go online, and there are countless websites that list the various available mash bills from different distilleries, breaking them down by producer. Watch movements work the same way. It’s usually the first thing a serious consumer wants to know about when examining a new product. Is it from MGP? Is from ETA? The answer helps us understand what we’re dealing with qualitatively from the get go.

Cigars are no different.

My friend Matt Booth has an amazing line of cigars called Room 101, and you’ll find one in my mouth just about every Friday. That being said, Matt doesn’t manufacture his own cigars. They’re made for him by various producers, from A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua to Rocky Patel in Honduras. Matt puts his spin on the blending and the branding, but he creates none of the source materials.

Ten years ago, consumers were passionate about distillers. They went out of their way to purchase products from the same people who farmed and literally produced the source materials that created the liquid in their glass. Today, however, the game has completely changed. Consumers have accepted the fact that there are manufacturers and there are brands. In fact, they pride themselves on understanding both sides of the market and being able to wax eloquently about which brands source from the best manufacturers.

Yet, unlike the history of blended Scotch whisky, where consumers held brand loyalty to a specific non-descript recipe, today’s drinkers are only loyal to transparency. The education is part of the experience. They want to know all the intimate production details. Just like watch fans enjoy debating and discussing the merit of certain movements, whiskey drinkers like to do the same with specific mash bills, and cigar smokers with specific tobaccos.

This is the modern boutique market. And it applies to almost everything.

Modern boutique brands are like translators. They speak consumer and, in many cases, they’re helping old manufacturers find new fans in a crowded marketplace by putting a modern touch on a classic tradition.

-David Driscoll

Amazing Rosé Bubbles, Sub-$15

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I’ve been telling anyone who will listen this week about my new favorite wine in the store: the M. Bonnamy Crémant de Loire at $14.99.

I don’t like comparing non-Champs bubbles to Champagne because there’s really no comparison, but let’s say this: the least expensive good Champagne in the store is $29.99—the fantastic Paul Laurent. But is it twice as good as the M. Bonnamy? That’s up for you to decide.

Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this wine is also 100% methode traditionelle meaning the second fermentation to create the bubbles occurred in the bottle, like true Champagne, not in a stainless steel tank with a CO2 gun. Hence, you get refined bubbles, a creamy mousse, and serious elegance.

What you don’t get is the brioche and minerality of a true Champagne, but for $14.99 I ain’t complaining. This wine is clean, fresh, tasty, and it tastes way more expensive than it is.

With mask rules back in effect, crowded bars seemingly less enticing, and my backyard patio looking more and more like my future office, I’m in for a case of the M. Bonnamy. As my late colleague Jim Barr liked to say: “This will be my house wine for the month.”

-David Driscoll

High Plains Drifter

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How do you turn four pretty good rye whiskies into one pretty fantastic rye whiskey?

You give them to one of the best—if not the best—American whiskey blenders of our lifetime: former Four Rose’s master distiller Jim Rutledge.

As someone who always wanted to make a rye whiskey, but who worked for a distillery that only made Bourbon, I have to imagine that finally getting that chance to blend several different recipes into one stellar marriage was a pretty thrilling experience for Jim.

And he definitely stuck the landing. Let’s look at the breakdown.

The new High Plains Rye uses whiskey from four different American distilleries:

  • MGP in Indiana

  • Middle West in Ohio

  • Kentucky Artisan in Kentucky

  • New York Distilling Co. in New York

It’s bottled at 48.5% ABV and we sell it at Mission for $54.99.

Having had the chance to taste it this week, I was tremendously pleased with the result, and it adds further evidence to my current belief that rye whiskey is a much more exciting category than Bourbon right now.

On the nose, it smells like a number of small production, 100% rye mashbill whiskies on the market right now, where the rye is absolutely front and center. There’s oak in the background, but it’s more akin to sticking your head in a bag of rye bread.

However, the palate deviates from that singularity and moves into a balance of sweet baking spices, toasted oak, rye grains, and a lovely sweetness from the wood. The finish is like a warm blast of all that goodness you get to revisit after every sip: cloves, brown sugar, cinnamon. The more I drink it, the more I want to keep drinking it.

Jim Rutledge was the first master distiller I met when I started in the industry, and I’ve always admired both his character and his whiskies. Hence, I have a sentimental soft spot in my heart for this release, but personal bias aside: this is a fantastic rye.

And it’s a further testament to the idea that a whiskey, when well blended, can be far greater than the sum of its parts.

-David Driscoll