'Whiskey Mac' is a stunning hybrid tea rose that has captivated gardeners since its introduction in 1967. Bred by the renowned Tantau nursery in Germany, this exceptional cultivar remains one of the most sought-after roses for its remarkable colour and reliable performance. The variety takes its distinctive name from the classic cocktail, perfectly capturing the warm, amber-gold tones of its magnificent blooms.
This rose is celebrated for its extraordinary amber-apricot flowers that seem to glow with an inner warmth. The large, elegantly formed blooms typically measure 10-12 cm across and display the classic high-centred form that hybrid tea roses are famous for. Each flower opens from beautifully scrolled buds, unfurling into full blooms with 30-35 velvety petals that hold their form exceptionally well. The colour is quite unique in the rose world – a rich amber-orange with golden undertones that becomes even more intense in cooler weather.
'Whiskey Mac' offers a moderate to strong fragrance that is wonderfully rich and fruity, with classic old rose notes. The scent is particularly pronounced in the morning and evening, making it an excellent choice for planting near seating areas, pathways, or windows where you can fully appreciate its perfume.
This variety forms an upright, well-branched shrub typically reaching 75-90 cm in height with a similar spread, making it ideal for borders, beds, or even large containers. The plant produces an attractive framework of stems clothed in glossy, bronze-tinted foliage that matures to dark green, providing a perfect foil for the warm-toned flowers. The young leaves emerge with a particularly striking coppery-red colour that adds seasonal interest.
'Whiskey Mac' is a repeat-flowering variety that produces flushes of blooms from early summer through to the first frosts. The main flush occurs in June, followed by successive waves of flowers throughout the growing season. With proper deadheading and feeding, you can expect continuous colour for months on end. The blooms are excellent for cutting and last well in the vase.
Location and Soil
Plant 'Whiskey Mac' in a position that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Whilst it tolerates partial shade, flowering will be most prolific in full sun. The rose thrives in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Improve heavy clay or sandy soils by incorporating plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or garden compost before planting.
Planting
The best time to plant bare-root roses is between November and March, whilst container-grown plants can be planted year-round, provided the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. Dig a hole approximately 45 cm wide and deep, and ensure the graft union (the swollen area where the rose is grafted onto the rootstock) sits at soil level. Water thoroughly after planting and apply a 5-7 cm layer of mulch around the base.
Watering
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a deep root system. Once established, 'Whiskey Mac' requires watering during dry spells, particularly when in active growth and flowering. Water deeply at the base of the plant rather than overhead to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Feeding
Feed in early spring with a balanced rose fertiliser, then again after the first flush of flowers to encourage repeat blooming. A spring application of well-rotted manure or garden compost provides additional nutrients and helps retain soil moisture.
Pruning
Prune hybrid tea roses in late winter or early spring, typically in March, just as the buds begin to swell. Remove dead, diseased, or crossing stems, then cut back the remaining healthy stems to 15-25 cm above ground level, cutting to an outward-facing bud. This encourages an open, vase-shaped plant with good air circulation.
'Whiskey Mac' has moderate disease resistance. Whilst it can be susceptible to blackspot, powdery mildew, and rust in unfavourable conditions, good cultural practices significantly reduce problems. Ensure adequate spacing between plants for air circulation, water at the base rather than overhead, and promptly remove any fallen leaves. In areas prone to fungal diseases, preventative spraying may be beneficial.
The warm amber tones of 'Whiskey Mac' pair beautifully with deep purple salvias, blue delphiniums, or silvery artemisia. For a hot colour scheme, combine it with red or orange crocosmias and heleniums. The rose also looks stunning underplanted with purple or bronze-leaved heucheras.
This rose offers exceptional value for everyday gardeners. Its unique colouring sets it apart from more common yellow or pink varieties, whilst its reliable repeat flowering ensures months of interest. The manageable size suits most gardens, and the fragrance adds another dimension to its appeal. Though it requires the standard care that all hybrid tea roses benefit from, 'Whiskey Mac' rewards attention with an abundance of spectacular blooms that are perfect for garden display and cutting alike.
Whether you're an experienced rose grower or planting your first hybrid tea, 'Whiskey Mac' is a rewarding choice that brings warmth, elegance, and timeless beauty to any garden.
Reasons to Buy Roses from Jacksons Nurseries
(1) ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot
Buy with confidence from the only online rose grower rated ‘Excellent’ 4.9* on Trustpilot. We have been a trusted supplier of roses for 3 generations. We take pride in growing our own roses in the field before potting them up, allowing for meticulous quality control to sale.

(2) Best Prices Guaranteed – Direct from the Grower
Save £££s by buying direct from a grower you can trust. We’ve already price checked all of our roses against competitors so you don’t have to. We are so confident we offer the best value, if you find a rose of the same type and grade elsewhere, we’ll beat it by 10%.

(3) 12 Month Plants Guarantee
We offer a 12 month guarantee on every plant that you buy from us that we have classified as Fully Hardy. If a plant you've bought from us fails in the first year, we will either replace it or refund you. See our satisfaction guarantee page for more details and conditions.

(4) Third generation family-owned nursery specialising in roses
Jackson’s Nurseries is a 3rd generation family owned business which has been growing roses for over 60 years. Roses have always been our specialty, as you can see from the colourful array of blooms in the background to the old family photo below. Today, we offer over 200 different varieties of floribundas, hybrid teas, patio, shrub and David Austin roses. Our roses are initially grown in the field before being potted up for website dispatch.

(5) Grown at altitude to produce strong, healthy plants
Our North Staffordshire nursery is situated at 250 metres above sea level, producing strong, hardy plants that will thrive in your garden. Our nursery sits on clay, so you can be sure our roses can handle heavy soil too.

(6) Help & Advice and Aftercare
We are help to help you with any help and advice you need in choosing, planting and growing your roses before, during and after your purchase from us. The help and advice section of our website has extensive information, see below some examples of articles you may find useful:

How our roses are supplied through the seasons
All our roses are cultivated in an open field and are carefully dug up when the weather is optimal, typically in October or November. While other nurseries supply roses bare root, once our field-grown roses have been potted up we supply them freshly potted. This better protects the roots and helps keep them moist in transit, ensuring your roses arrive as healthy as when they left our nursery. So don’t be alarmed if the compost comes away from the roots when you remove them from the pot.

The roses can remain in their pots over the winter, as long as they are properly watered and fed, but it's best to plant them out as soon as possible. If you do plant them straight away make sure the planting mix is prepared first, hold the root close to the top of the hole as you tip the pot upside down and try to keep as much compost as possible from falling away. They will already be pruned, so no additional pruning is needed except for trimming any dead tips. Regular pruning can start in late winter, the year after planting.

Rose Types
Hybrid Tea Roses (HT)
Hybrid Tea roses are probably the most popular group of roses, available in both bush and standard form they have long flower stems and shapely blooms. Blooms are typically medium to large in size, with many petals which form a distinct central cone.
Floribunda Roses (FL)
Floribunda roses bears its flowers in clusters or trusses, with several blooms open at time in each truss. A popular choice the Floribunda rose group is unrivalled for colour, reliability and longevity as a bedding display however the flower form in generally inferior to the Hybrid Tea.
Patio Roses (PATIO)
Patio roses were introduced in the 1980’s and the group now contains several popular varieties. Generally low-growing roses that were once grouped with the Floribuna group but have now been put in their own group of compact versions. Usually growing about 50cm high they make excellent plants for patio containers or at the front of borders.
Climbing Roses (CLM)
Climbing roses as the name suggests are the perfect choice for covering a wall or screen. Often grouped together with Ramblers, Climbers tend to have stiffer stems, larger flowers but smaller trusses than Ramblers.
Rambling Roses (RAM)
Rambling roses are often grouped with Climbing Roses but the ramblers tend to have a more pliable stems that can be used to run along the soil to use as groundcover or can be used to make weeping standards.
Miniature Roses (MINI)
Miniature roses have increased in popularity in recent years due to their versatility, even grown indoors as temporary pot plants that grow to a maximum height of 40cm. An ideal choice for planting in tubs, edging beds and rockeries.
English Roses (ENG)
Often referred to as Austin or David Austin Roses, English roses are hybrids of old English roses and more modern varieties bread by David Austin to provide the best of both, mixing old rose shapes and scents with more modern colour range, compact habits and repeat flowering.

Planting Advice
Roses like a generous root space, so dig a deep hole approximately twice as wide as the current root system, preferably adding composted organic matter to the soil. Never plant into frozen soil – in winter, await a frost-free period. Carefully remove the pot and gently tease the roots apart to spread them around the hole. Position the plant so that the ‘bud point’ (the place where the shoots emerge from, where the cultivated rose was grafted onto the rootstock) is at soil level. Replace the soil, firming it down gently, then water copiously. Ideally, a general purpose fertiliser should be applied to the surrounding soil as a top dressing. We also highly recommend the use of Rose Rootgrow, which provides a friendly fungus that prevents ‘rose replant syndrome’.

Buying our Roses
Most of our roses are supplied in a 4 litre pot although this may vary slightly depending on rose variety. If the size of pot differes significatly from 4 litres then we will make this clear somewhere on the product page.
Seasonality
Our roses are grown outdoors and as such are subject to seasonal changes. As we sell potted stock throughout the year your rose may not arrive and look like you expect it to. If you are uncertain how your rose will arrive (especially if buying for a gift) then we suggest you contact us prior to making a purchase.
Freshly Potted
Each year a new batch of roses is potted up ready for the following season. Once potted (usually November/December time) they go on sale as 'Freshly Potted'. If you purchase a freshly potted rose and plant it soon after you will find that when removing the rose from the pot there will be a lot of loose soil as the roots will not have had time to grow and bind the compost.

Pruned/Cut Back
In autumn the majority of our roses have finished flowering and begin to look untidy, at this point we prune them quite hard in preparation for the following season. We continue to sell roses throughout the year, when a rose has been pruned in such a way we will identify it has being so. If you are not sure what to expect then please ask prior to making a purchase. Some garden centres/supermarkets sell stock that has been grown abroad or in poly-tunnels so they look 'picture perfect' out of season, while this is ideal for a gift they are short lived once planted.

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