There are few industries here in the UK that have seen as many highs and lows as the Scotch whisky industry. From the days of prohibition and hiding from the exciseman, to post-war Britain during the Golden Age of the 1950s, it’s been a very bumpy ride. 

A great deal of historians, however, believe that, had it not been for the industrial revolution, the whisky industry would never have taken off as much as it did. One key element that played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution was the British Waterways canal network. 

Recently, you may recall I wrote a piece about the restoration of the Rosebank Distillery, situated on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. If you’ve not yet checked that out, please do, because it’s a pretty remarkable story. Had it not been for Scotland’s canal network however, the distillery would never have rose (pun intended) to prominence. 

A Remarkable Feat of Engineering

The Industrial Revolution is a period in history that changed civilization as we know it today. Starting in 1760, and ending in 1840, it boosted infrastructure, created jobs, strengthened economies, and helped improve the overall quality of life for people no end. 

As Britain began to become more industrial however, it became clear that there was a huge need for transport. Goods and materials needed to be moved all over the country and were an integral part of all manner of industries. Nowadays we have shipping containers, freight trains, and HGV drivers doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of transport, but during the 1700s, things were very different. 

Back then, there were no trains, no lorries, no vans, and no cars. Some parts of the country could be accessed via boat, but access was limited and treacherous. Horse and cart were the primary modes of transportation, and so obviously, the transportation of goods and materials was limited. Not only that, but fragile goods were often smashed to pieces and didn’t survive the journey. 

Knowing something had to be done, influential businessmen, government officials, and even nobles, commissioned the finest engineers in the country to come up with a solution. Just a few names that stand out and are credited with the creation of the canal network are people such as James Brindley, Thomas Telford, Henry Berry, James Hutton, and John Smeaton, to name but a few. 

The canals were designed to make Britain more accessible via water, to allow the transportation of goods and materials in large volumes, in a smooth and safe manner. Coal for example, was needed to fire the engines of the machines that drove the industrial revolution. 

The first canal constructed was the Sankey, designed by Henry Berry, though it is the second, the Bridgewater Canal, designed by James Brindley, commissioned by none other then the Duke of Bridgewater himself, that really put the canal network on the map. 

The Forth and Clyde Canal and Whisky

Obviously, there is a great deal more history behind the canal network than the above, but hopefully I’ve covered the basics and painted a clear enough picture of just how important the networks were?

As this is a whisky blog, hosted on a whisky site, you’re probably wondering where whisky fits into all of this? Well, don’t worry, all will soon become clear. 

As the canal network expanded across Britain, the Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790. Created by John Smeaton, it opened up central Scotland and provided a route for seagoing vessels at the time between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. 

The canal was known as the Great Canal and meant that boats could now safely transport the grain and fuel needed to produce whisky. They could also ship the barrels of finished whisky off to various destinations around the country, and beyond. 

One of the most prominent distilleries in Scotland was the Rosebank Distillery. It was constructed in Falkirk right at the end of the Industrial Revolution in 1840, along the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Its close proximity to the canal was deliberate, as it made it much easier for the distillery to receive grain and fuel in bulk, and ship off the finished casks of whisky. As well as that, the canal network provided prosperity to the town of Falkirk. It created jobs, it boosted infrastructure, and it meant that the locals had more money. Money to be spent on delicious whisky. 

Many other distilleries followed suite and also set up shop along the banks of the canal, for many of the same reasons as Rosebank. Without question, the canal network played a key role in the success of Scotland’s whisky industry. 

New Beginnings

They say that all good things must come to an end, and sadly, unable to compete with swanky new modern forms of transport such as railways and roadways, the Forth and Clyde Canal fell into disrepair and was shutdown in 1963. 

Rosebank Distillery also seemed to struggle as the canal declined, even though it had stopped using the canal for shipping purposes decades prior and it too eventually closed down in 1993.

In the early 1990s however, British Waterways were granted funding to restore the canal back to its former glory. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, the Forth and Clyde Canal was reopened in 2001, and it looked amazing. The once stagnant waters now shimmered and bustled with life, and it began to attract more people to the area, once again boosting the local economy.

In 2002 the Falkirk Wheel was installed, and it too helped put the canals back onto the map. The Falkirk Wheel is essentially a rotating boat lift and is only the second of its kind, the other being the Anderton Boat Lift on the Trent and Mersey Canal. 

Just to tie everything together perfectly, in 2017, Ian Macleod Distillers rescued the Rosebank Distillery just before it was demolished. The distillery underwent a huge transformation following a great deal of investment and once again sits proudly along the banks of the canal that helped make it what it is today. 

Had it not been for the remarkable feats of engineering that went into the canals, Rosebank wouldn’t have been able to produce such amazing whiskies. Whiskies such as Rosebank Vintage 1990 – Release Two, with its decadent pineapple, flapjack, clementine, and buttery shortbread notes.

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or treat yourself to a wee dram or two at the same time, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer. 

With a large selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.