History Drives The Glenrothes’ Innovative Spirit

The distillery melds time-honored traditions with an inventive and forever curious ethos. The result? A gloriously unique spirit prized by whisky lovers for its rare style of fresh, fruit-forward single malts.

To understand the magic of this Speyside spirit, we must first look back to its founding almost 150 years ago.

James Stuart, a man with a wealth of whisky-making know-how and a grand vision, set out to create a single malt whisky the world hadn’t experienced. In the mid-1800s, he began the arduous journey to found his great Speyside distillery, setting his sights on his own town of Rothes for his venture. From the close community of skilled coopers to the pristine River Spey, Rothes possessed all the vital ingredients needed to craft a superior scotch.

However, the road to making this dream a reality was far from easy. The distillery’s construction was nearly dashed by a financial crisis that threatened Stuart’s livelihood and the wellbeing of the Rothes community. But out of his love for his whisky—and perhaps a hint of stubbornness—Stuart forged ahead, finding not only support among the local businessmen and tradespeople, but also an unexpected token of generosity.

One serendipitous beacon of support came from Reverend William Sharp. He believed the distillery was critical to sustaining the Rothes community, and so became its primary benefactor. He helped raise the capital needed to see it come to fruition, even despite his aversion to drinking. This support gave Stuart all the courage he needed to build The Glenrothes distillery.

By the time it opened in 1879, Stuart’s patience had proved invaluable, and he poured his passion into creating a unique whisky that could stand the test of time.

Ever since, this hands-on, no-frills distillery continues to use only the finest raw materials and highest quality casks to create its range of age-statement single malts. From the complex and well-rounded 18 Year Old to the gracefully balanced yet delicately sweet 25 Year Old, every taste of The Glenrothes is a testament to its makers’ craft.

To begin making this precious spirit, the distillery utilizes its own source of fresh spring water, one of the few remaining in Scotland that do, and a distillation process that is unusually slower and more meticulous than most. These painstaking methods result, consistently, in a fresher and mellower tasting whisky with a round and creamy character.

To finish, Glenrothes’ whiskies are aged in only the finest sherry-seasoned casks, hand-selected by experienced, on-site coopers. Each of the brand’s single malts are then bottled at natural color, hence the spectrum of amber-hues you’ll find on the shelf.

Since joining The Glenrothes in 2020, Master Whisky Maker Laura Rampling has shown the same inquisitiveness and thirst for knowledge as the brand’s founder. And much like Stuart himself, she is a passionate disrupter of the status quo.

Sustainability is just one of the many pursuits The Glenrothes continues to champion as part of its forward-thinking spirit. With its Beyond Us initiative, the distillery aims to offset the environmental impact of its distilling and packaging, as well as preserve its water sources and biodiversity on its nearly century-and-a-half-old estate.

With this approach—and by channeling the courage and curiosity of its inception—Rampling and The Glenrothes aim to create a bright future in Speyside for another century and a half, and beyond.

For more whisky knowledge discover our journals: https://www.theglenrothes.com/en/journals

This article is produced in sponsorship with one of our spirited partners.