Glenrothes Single Malt

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Glenrothes Single Malt is a highly regarded but rarely seen malt whisky provides the defining top note flavour in the Famous Grouse and equally famous Cutty Sark blends. It is very highly regarded by whisky blenders and by single malt enthusiasts.

The house style is a warming, mouth-coating creamy spirit, with the classic Speyside "pear drop" character. Tasting notes frequently also see the descriptors - lemony, grassy, aniseed, liquorice and toffee.

The distillery was built in 1878 by James Stuart & Co, who then also worked the nearby Macallan distillery. The first whisky ran off the stills on the 28th December 1879 - not a propitious day, since it also saw the Tay Bridge disaster and the death of 75 passengers.

The distillery itself had a shaky start and a chequered history. Over-proof whisky is notoriously highly flammable and the distillery has paid the price. Extension work began in 1896 on a second malt kin and an increase in stills from two to four but, before the work was finished, a fire in December 1897 caused serious damage. The distillery saw further damage with a serious explosion in 1903.

Then, in 1922, a fire in Warehouse Number One caused the loss of 200.000 gallons whisky. As barrels exploded in the heat, the maturing whisky gushed into the adjacent Burn of Rothes, where happy locals were reported to have lifted water by the bucketful. Another fire in 1962 afforded the opportunity for expansion and a further re-build in 1982 extended the still hall to 10 - five wash and five spirit stills