Skene Scotch Whisky released two new single cask expressions for Easter 2021. One was a “Glenrothes 11 Years Old”, which was distilled in 2009 and fully matured in a Hogshead until bottling in 2021. Only 388 bottles were filled at a generous 48% ABV, with natural colour and no chill filtration. The price is just £45.80 for a 70cl bottle, which is available from Skene’s website shop and from selected UK retailers.
Glenrothes Distillery is perhaps one of Speyside’s ‘classics’ and is located in Rothes, Morayshire. It is currently owned by The Edrington Group, which also owns the world-famous Macallan and Highland Park Distilleries.
In 2020 Skene Scotch Whisky’s sister company produced a premium blended malt called “Black Tartan 88”. This was a vatting of Glenrothes, Macallan and Highland Park. The component malts were distilled in 1988, blended at birth and laid down to mature in a single hogshead for an incredible 31 years.
The result of this extended maturation was that just 337 Ibisco-style decanters of “Black Tartan 88” were filled, at 48% ABV and with no added colouring nor chill-filtration. The price for this wonderful whisky was only £248. A few bottles are still be available from Skene’s website shop, but will not last long.
Returning to Glenrothes Distillery, it was conceived by James Stuart & Co (a merchant involved with the nearby Macallan Distillery), John Cruikshank (a lawyer) and Robert Dick and William Grant (who were agents for the Caledonian Bank).
Production started in late 1879, by which time Glenrothes Distillery was operated by a company trading as William Grant & Co. A few years later, the distillery was expanded to a Charles Doig design.
However, in 1897 a fire swept through Glenrothes before the expansion work was completed. Then, despite the installation of equipment designed to prevent such catastrophic events, there was a major explosion in 1903 which resulted in major damage.
Not a great start! However, from 1963 onwards things improved. Glenrothes Distillery was gradually enlarged. In 1989, it was then rebuilt with ten stills.
A couple of years earlier, Highland Distilleries Company (by then the distillery’s owner) licensed “The Glenrothes” brand to Berry Brothers & Rudd, the world-famous London wine merchants. They released the first ‘official’ botting at 12 years old.
In 1999, The Edrington Group bought Highland Distillers, including Glenrothes Distillery.
Then, in 2010, “The Glenrothes” brand was sold outright by Edrington to Berry Brothers & Rudd in exchange for the “Cutty Sark” brand.
The Edrington Group continues to own Glenrothes Distillery and supplies Berry Brothers & Rudd with spirit for “The Glenrothes” brand under a long-term contract agreement.
Needless to say, Edrington continues to include Glenrothes whisky in brands like Famous Grouse. It also occasionally sells casks to third-parties, so independent single-cask bottlings occur from time-to-time. Each such expression is unique and offers a totally different perspective to an iconic whisky.
(Image courtesy of Ikiwaner, CC BY-SA 3.0)
