Glenrothes

Glenrothes Single Malt Whisky

The Glenrothes Distillery is definitely a stranger in the midst among most of the whisky brands.

Most whisky brands usually classify their single malts by the expression of its age, Glenrothes classifies its Single Malt mostly with a stated vintage, a Glenrothes brand signature of great quality which the Glenrothes Distillery still bears with pride. The Glenrothes Select Reserve is just one example of their light-tasting entry vintage editions, and the Glenrothes 20 Years Old Shieldmaiden Lagertha from independent bottler The Duchess, is a delicate and fresh must-have for every whisky collector.

Established in Speyside, The Glenrothes Distillery was the second distillery ever build in the city of Rothes. The distillery is located at the foot of the Mannoch Hills adjacent to the Burn of Rothes. Therefore it was called Glenrothes, which is Gaelic for “The Valley of the Rothes”.

The Glenrothes Distillery was founded in the year 1878 by James Stuart, a man who made his honored name in the whisky industry as The Macallan Distillery lesser and eventually the distillery owner. On the night of 28 December 1879 when a heavy storm passed over the Scottish Highlands, the first Glenrothes spirit ran of the stills. This date would become a day of both mourning and joy, as this particular night the Tay Bridge collapsed due to major engineering failure, taking the passing train and its passengers to their unfortunate fate.

In the year 1887, Glenrothes was acquired by the Highland Distilleries Ltd. At the time, The Glenrothes Distillery found herself in an era of prosperity. More stills were added, and the distillery’s production capacity doubled. In 1922, an unfortunate disaster struck the Glenrothes Distillery, when a fire set blaze that left ashes of desolation in its wake in one of the distillery’s warehouses, by which 200.000 gallons of maturing spirit was destroyed. According to the myth, several whisky casks exploded and whisky flowed into the Rothes Burn. Legend tells us that the Fishes in the Rothes Burn where so intoxicated by the whisky spirit that locals fished them out of the river barehanded.

Despite of this mayor setback, nobody was hurt that disastrous day. The lost burnt down warehouses were rebuild and the Glenrothes Distillery rose back to its former glory. Glenrothes was once again distilling at full capacity. A true legend of a distillery that was build to last.

The Glenrothes Distillery is currently owned by The Edrington Group.