Glenrothes distillery is located in the village of Rothes in the Speyside. It was founded in 1878 by a group of businessmen who almost failed at bringing their project to completion. When the Glasgow bank went under, their access to credit dried up. The most tenacious of the businessmen somehow managed to secure a loan from a group of teetotalers belonging to the United Free Presbyterian Church of Knockando. Of course, those people were only interested in charitable causes and not profit.
Until its merging with Bunnahabhain distillery in 1887, the distillery operated yielding profits. When agents Robertson & Baxter were appointed as distributors for the distillery, Glenrothes became a resounding success and a major component of popular blends: The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark.
Increased demand for Glenrothes whisky forced the distillery to expand production capacity in 1896. Before the works were completed, a fire damaged the distillery. Further fires damaged the distillery in 1903, 1922 and 1962. From the 1960's the distillery expanded its production capacity until the late 1980's even when the whisky industry was facing a severe crisis.
In 1987 Berry Bros. & Rudd (BBR) took part-ownership of Glenrothes. Under the ownership of BBR Glenrothes whisky was repackaged and re-launched. Up until 2018 the whisky was released not by age statement but by vintages. It all changed back to age statements.
A medium-long fermentation period, slow distillation and pot stills with reflux bulbs produce a malty spirit with cereal notes. A good amount of the spirit is then aged in ex-sherry casks. Glenrothes single malt is complex, rich and spicy.
