Glenrothes Distillery
Burnside Street
Rothes Morayshire AB38 7AA
+44 1340 831 248
Owner: Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd
Creation year: 1879
The Glenrothes distillery was build from 1878 by James Stuart & Co, at that time tenants of the Macallan distillery. James Stuart had some problems with the bank and the William Grand & Co company finished the construction of Glenrothes. The William Grant & Co was formed by three associates: William Grant, John Cruikshank and Robert Dick.
The first distillation happened the same day as the catastrophic accident: the collapse of the "Tay Bridge" who killed all the passengers of the train which was crossing the Firth of Tay.
Business was not good and Glenrothes became part of Highland Distillers (already owners of Bunnahabhain). This change of ownership saved the distillery and things began to be better and better. In 1898, the production was already more than doubled.
A first fire of the warehouse nr 1 caused the loss of 200.000 gallons whisky.
Partially destroyed by a second fire in 1962, the distillery was rebuild and extended twice in 1963 and in 1980. The still house was tooled up with 10 stills. The Glenrothes single malt is marketed in an original bottle, remaining the tasting samples used by the distilleries. Previously bottled after 12 years, this single malt is currently available in vintage editions.
The remaining part of the production is used in blends, especially Cutty Sark. Glenrothes is the base of Cutty Sark.
The Highland Distillers group has been bought by the Edrington Group in november 1999 for 601 millions £.
In 2010, the distillery was purchased by Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd.
