Glenrothes Scotch Whisky

Glenrothes Whisky Distillery Information

Founded in 1878 by John Cruickshank, and partners.

Location Speyside region rothes district. Rothes town

Water source Ardcanny spring

Glenrothes Whisky Distilling Equipment

Stainless steel mash tun

12 Oregon pine washbacks.

5 Wash stills

5 Spirit stills

Matured in a combination of Spanish sherry and American bourbon casks

Glenrothes Whisky Distillery History

In 1868, James Davidson sold his Macallan distillery to James Stuart. In 1875, James Stuart formed a partnership with Robert Dick, William Grant, both agents of the Caledonian Bank in Rothes, and John Cruickshank, a solicitor from Elgin, Moray. The four men established the firm of James Stuart & Co to improve the Macallan distillery. In 1878, they decided to build a new distillery in Rothes, Moray, however the development was threatened by the collapse of the City of Glasgow Bank.

The result was the suspension of business at the Caledonian Bank and consequently the partnership was dissolved in 1878. James Stuart retained the Macallan distillery. Whilst William Grant, John Cruickshank and Robert Dick formed William Grant & Co, and continued with the construction of the new Glenrothes distillery and in May 1879, the Glenrothes Distillery went into production..

The company faced several years of financial difficulty and debt, however during 1883, the trading performance of Glenrothes Distillery improved and in 1884, marketing was assisted when the firm was permitted to use the ‘Glenlivet’ name as a suffix and so the distillery became known as the Glenrothes-Glenlivet Distillery.

However, this up turn was shot lived and in 1885, a reduction in the distillery’s profits once more reflected the depression of the market. In July 1887 William Grant & Co merged with the Islay Distillery Co owners of the Bunnahabhain Distillery, to create the Highland Distilleries Co Ltd.

In 1896, extension work at the Glenrothes distillery commenced with an increase of the number of stills from two to four and a second malt kiln was added. However before the work was finished a fire in December 1897 caused serious damage.

The distillery suffered a serious explosion in 1903, and another fire again in 1922 when in warehouse Number 1.

Glenrothes was closed in 1942, when the Ministry of Food requisitioned it for drying oats.

In 1963 the number of stills were increased from four to six. Then during the late 1970s, the distillery was completely refurbished with a new still house for ten stills completed in 1982

In 1972, Highland Distilleries Co Ltd set up the subsidiary Glenrothes-Glenlivet Ltd to manage the distillery. In 1988, this company became Glenrothes Distillery Co Ltd and in 2003 was still operating the distillery at Glenrothes as part of Highland Distillers Group Ltd

Glenrothes malt whisky contributes to Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends

Glenrothes Distillery Bottlings

Glenrothes is bottled by year. The best casks are selected for that year when they reach the Master blenders high criteria.

Glenrothes Vintages

Glenrothes is bottled by year. The best casks are selected for that year when they reach the Master blenders high criteria.

Glenrothes Vintages

1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979,

1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992,

Glenrothes Select Reserve

Glenrothes Whisky Independent Bottlings

Adephi.

Berrys Own Selection,

Blackadder

Cadenhead’s,

Chieftain’s (Ian Macleod),

Coopers Choice,

Dun Bheagan (Ian McLeod),

Duncan Taylor "Cask Strength"

Gordon & MacPhail,

MacPhail’s Collection,

Mission (Murray McDavid),

Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing),

Peerless (Duncan Taylor),

Platinum (Douglas Laing),

Private Cellars (Speyside Distillers)

Provenance (Douglas Laing),

Scotts Selection (Speyside Distillers)

Un-Chill Filtered (Signatory).

Whisky Galore (Duncan Taylor).

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