GlenrothesSingle Malt Scotch Whisky
James Stuart, one of the original founders (and the Macallan leaseholder at the time) had already quit the business due to financial difficulties before the stills started running, leaving his partners Robert Dick (a banker) John Cruickshank (a lawyer) and William Grant (another banker, not the Glenfiddich/Balvenie William Grant) to pick up the pieces as a new company, William Grant & Co.
The new distillery became Glenrothes-Glenlivet in 1884, before William Grant & Co. amalgamated with the Islay Distillery Co. (owners of Bunnahabhain) in 1887 to become Highland Distillers Company (HDC). Glenrothes suffered two fires and an explosion that wrecked most of the distillery buildings in the period between 1897 and 1923, but managed to emerge stronger each time, with capacity being doubled during the first rebuild in 1898.
After a few decades of quiet achievement, there was further expansion to come between 1963 and 1989, by the end of which timethe distillery boasted ten stills and a capacity of over five and a half million litres/year. During this time (and to this day) the vast majority of Glenrothes' malt went into the Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends, and very few bottlings of Glenrothes single malt seem to have been available, although Gordon & Macphail were doing an 8 year old from at least the 1970s and there was an official 12yo in the 1980s.
Nowadays, Glenrothes has a much higher profile, following the distillery's acquisition in 1999 (for over £600 million) by The Edrington Group and William Grant & Sons (the other William Grant, the ones who own Glenfiddich & Balvenie). There have been myriad relases of Glenrothes since, but rather than age statements each release is from a specific vintage. This approach, along with the distinctive packaging and the rich, smooth, structured nature of the malts, has contributed to the great success of Glenrothes since it changed hands.
In 2010, The Glenrothes brand was sold by the Edrington Group to Berry Brothers & Rudd in exchange for Cutty Sark – Edrington continue to own the distillery and supply BB&R with spirit for The Glenrothes under a long-term contract agreement.
Character and Style of Glenrothes
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Cinnamon
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Blackberry
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Apricot
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Honey
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Price Range
Bottling Status
Age
Vintage
Cask Type
Bottler
Series
Strength
Single Cask
Limited Edition
Flavour Profile
Colouring
Glenrothes 199725 Year Old Thompson Bros for Whisky Show 2023
£215
(£307.14 per litre)
Glenrothes 201112 Year Old Small Batch 2nd Edition Signatory
£58.75
(£83.93 per litre)
Glenrothes 200912 Year Old Party Time Simply Whisky
£71.75
(£102.50 per litre)
Glenrothes 198636 Year Old The Whisky Agency
£750
(£1,071.43 per litre)
Glenrothes 199725 Year Old The Banquet Wemyss
£235
(£335.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 199626 Year Old Signatory
£192
(£274.29 per litre)
Glenrothes 199919 Year Old Single Cask 8168
£263
(£375.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 2007Dumangin Batch 8
£91.50
(£130.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 1989Bot.2001
£375
(£535.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 197429 Year Old Bot.2003
£1,500
(£2,000 per litre)
Glenrothes 199520 Year Old
£138
(£184 per litre)
Glenrothes 18 Year Old
£160
(£228.57 per litre)
Glenrothes 20139 Year Old Golden Cask House of Macduff
£59.95
(£85.64 per litre)
Glenrothes 198042 Year Old
£6,200
(£8,857.14 per litre)
Glenrothes 198636 Year Old North Star Series 021
£500
(£714.29 per litre)
Glenrothes 1972Bot.1996
£1,350
(£1,928.57 per litre)
Ronnie's Reserve 1969Bot.2019 Sherry Cask
£3,500
(£5,000 per litre)
Glenrothes 1987Bot.2000
£350
(£500 per litre)
Glenrothes 31 Year OldSingle Malts of Scotland Marriage of Casks
£550
(£785.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 1979Bot.1994
£700
(£1,000 per litre)
Glenrothes 197327 Year Old
£1,250
(£1,785.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 1989Bot 2003
£375
(£535.71 per litre)
Glenrothes 197127 Year Old Bot.1999
£1,500
(£2,142.86 per litre)
SMWS 30.25 (Glenrothes)1966 31 Year Old Sherry Cask
£3,000
(£4,285.71 per litre)