Glenrothes - Glenlivet

SCOTCH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES > G

GLENROTHES - GLENLIVET

8 years old

40 %
LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
The Highland Distillers Co, Ltd
Gordon & Macphail. Elgin

GLEN ROTHES - GLENLIVET

20 years old

46 %
LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
Sherry Wood Matured
Distilled December 1967
Bottled February 1988
Proprietors:
The Highland Distilleries Co, Ltd
Wm, Cadenhead, 18 Golden Square,
Aberdeen

GLEN ROTHES

8 years old

43%
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY SELECTION
Distilled 16.1.86
Bottled 10.94
Cask No. 91
Van Wees, Amersfoort

THE GLENROTHES

12 years old

43 %
LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
1985
Distilled 1985
Bottled 1997
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St James's Street, London

GLENROTHES

17 years old

40%
CENTENARY RESERVE
1895- 1995
Distilled 1978
Bottled 1995
Proprietors:
The Highland Distilleries Co, Ltd
100 years of quality and exellence
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

THE GLENROTHES

12 years old

43 %
Last Bottle and empty
1987
Distilled 1987
Bottled 1999
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 st James's Street, London

THE GLENROTHES

11 years old

43 %
1989
Distilled 1989
Bottled 2000
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St James's Street, London

THE GLENROTHES

28 years old

43 %

RESTRICTED RELEASE
1971
Distilled 1971
Bottled 1999
Genummerde flessen
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St James's Street, London

Situated on the banks of the River Spey in the heart of the Scottish Highlands lies the distillery at Rothes-on-Spey, source of one of the finest of the single Spey¬side malt whiskies, The Glenrothes.

Long recognised by expert distillers and blenders as a Speyside malt of outstanding quality, The Glenrothes has been selected by the distillers of the world famous 'Cutty Sark' Scots whisky to be offered, in a strictly limited quantity, to whisky connoisseurs.

This limited release of vintage Glenrothes has been distilled during one particular year. In the cool damp conditions found only in the finest Scottish Highland dis¬tilleries, The Glenrothes is left to mature in oak casks for many, many years, allo¬wing this pale, amber-coloured malt to develop an aroma of great finesse ginting delicately of peat. During this long maturation it will be meticulously checked, nosed and tasted. Only when it has reached its peak of perfection is The Glenrothes given the signature of approval and finaaly bottled.

THE GLENROTHES

27 years old

43 %
1973
Distilled 1973
Bottled 2000
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St. James's Street, London

THE GLENROTHES

21 years old

43 %

RESTRICTED RELEASE
LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
1978
Distilled 1978
Bottled 1999
Genummerde flessen
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St. James's Street, London

The Glenrothes takes its name from the Glenrothes distillery which is located on Speyside, the heartland of malt whisky distillation. The Glenrothes distillery first began production in 1879 and is recognised by expert distillers as producing one of the finest and most accomplished malt whiskies.

The Glenrothes is one of the few naturally-coloured whiskies. This natural colour is gently drawn from the lengthy ageing in oak casks.

The simple, yet distinctive, packaging for Glenrothes is based on the original bottled found in Scotch whisky sample rooms. The Label too comes from the sample room where the 'checking slip' was used to record important facts about the whisky samples.

THE GLENROTHES

35 years old

40.90 %
PEERLESS
A Unique Whisky of Distinction
´'Fons et Origo'
Cask Strenght
Distilled 05.1967
Cask No. 8389
Bottled 06.2002
231 bottles
Genummerde flessen
Duncan Taylor & Co.

THE GLENROTHES

18 years old

43 %

1981
Distilled 1981
Bottled 1999
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St. James's Street, London

Voorjaar 1999 kregen de Edrington Group en Highland Distillers verschil van mening over het niet of wel aanhouden van de beursnotering.

September 1999 wordt bekend dat Edrington en William Grant & Sons samen Highland Distil¬lers overnemen.

De naam van de nieuwe onderneming luidt: The 1887 Company, wat slaat op het stichtings¬jaar van Highland Distillers.

Edrington verkrijgt 70 %-, William Grant & Sons 30 % van de aandelen'.

Zomer 2003 heeft Glenrothes een nieuwe verpakking gekregen: de ribkartonnen verpakking is aan twee kanten open, zodat de fles gezien kan worden.

In de bodem van de fles zit een uitsparing, voor de vulmachines, en die past precies op een plaatje dat gebruikt kan worden als asbak.

THE GLENROTHES

12 years old

43 %
1992
Distilled 1992
Bottled 2004
Berry Bros. & Rudd,
3 St. James' Street, London

GLENROTHES

15 years old

43 %
1989
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY SELECTION
Distilled 21/8/89
Bottled 8/11/04
Matured in a Bourbon Barrel
Cask no.   31141
Numbered Bottles
The Ultimate Whisky Company, N.L.

GLENROTHES

13 years old

43 %
1990

LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY SELECTION
Distilled 11/5/90
Bottled 28/11/03
Matured in a Sherry Butt
Butt no. 10984
Numbered Bottles
The Ultimate Whisky Company, N.L.

GLENROTHES

Aged 41 years

43.0 %
1 9 6 8
PEERLESS SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY
Cask Strenght Singl;e Speyside Malt
DUNCAN TAYLOR
Unique Whiskies of Distinction
Fons et Origo
D T C
Distilled 19.06.68
Cask no. 9974
Bottled 22.02.10
139 Numbered Bottles
Duncan Taylor and Co, Ltd, Huntly,

Aberdeenshire

GLENROTHES

1 9 9 4
17 years old

46 %
THE ULTIMATE SINGLE
MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Speyside Single Malt
Distilled: 28/01/94
Matured in a Refill Sherry Butt
Cask no: 1102
Bottled: 09/03/11
846 Numbered Bottles
Natural Colour
Non Chillfiltered
Selected by The Ultimate Whisky

Company.NL

GLENROTHES
1 9 8 6
20 years old

40 %
PREMIERS CHOICE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
SIR WINSTON CHURCHIL 1874- 1965
Distilled in the year 1986
Bottled in the year 2006
Numbered Bottles
Imported by Independent
Wine & Spirit (Thailand) Co,Ltd, Bangkok

The Nose: A light sanitized golden colour, it is

a clean spirit with a fruit and nut’touch, hardly,

if at all peated and quite creamy

The Taste: Well proportioned, not top robust,

not to weak – a great Speyside tradition,

Creamy, smooth and enjoyable.

The Finish

Quite dry, this is where you discover the light

Peatiness and the hint of cinnamon in the dram.

GLENROTHES
30 years old

43 %
THE MACPHAILS SINGLE DISTILLERIES
COLLECTION
From Glenrothes Distillery
Specially selected, produced and bottled
By Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLENROTHES

EXCLUSIVE

Single malt Scotch Whisky

15 year

43 %

Distillation date: 06/07/2001

Cask Type: 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Cask Number: 4319

Bottling Month: July 2016

Number of Bottles: 320

Unchillfiltered

Natural Colour

Working with the specialists at

Gordon & Macphail,

Euan Pate of Romanes and Paterson

has selected

the cask from Glenrothes Distillery

for this unique bottling.

Exclusively bottled for

ROMANES & PATERSON Est 1808

Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

Berry Bros. & Rudd first supplied the British Royal Family during George lll’s reign and

has continued to do so to the present day.

The Vintage Single Malt

The Glenrothes is bottled at its peak of maturity and flavor, rather than at a predetermined age.

Distillatio is unusually slow and takes place in tall stills, which delivers a sweet clear fruity spirit.

Maturation is in American oak and Spanish oak casks which produce our award – winning

Speyside single malt.

All of our malt is Vintage whisky, representing a single year or collection of years. Our single

Vintages, limited and rare, each captures a unique essence and flavor, never to be repeated.

Our Rserves give you the opportunity of enjoying a numer of selected Vintages from

different years – married together in perfect harmony.

Ronnie Cox, The Glenrothes Brand Abassador

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Founded in 1698 at No. 3 St. Jame’s Street in London. Berry Bros. & Rudd is probably the

world’s oldest wine and spirit merchant.

GLEN ROTHES

VINTAGE 1997

Matured for 19 years

46 %

The Ultimate Single malt Scotch Whisky

Speyside Single Malt

Distilled: 15/10/97

Matured in a Refill Sherry Butt

Cask no: 15973

Bottled: 02/12/16

714 Bottles

Bottle no: 694

natural Colour

Non Chillfiltered

Selected by The Ultimate Whisky

Company.N.L.

THE GLENROTHES

Est.1879

1 9 9 5

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

AMERICAN OAK

45 %

Distilled 1995

Matured Exclusively in American

Oak Casks

Bottled 2017

Limited Release

Distilled and Bottled in

Scotland

Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd,

3 St Jame’s Street, London.

Berry Bros. & Rudd first supplied the

British Royal Family during George lll’s

reign and

has continued to do so to the present day.

The Vintage Single Malt

The Glenrothes is bottled at its peak of maturity and flavor, rather than at a predetermined age.

Distillatio is unusually slow and takes place in tall stills, which delivers a sweet clear fruity spirit.

Maturation is in American oak and Spanish oak casks which produce our award – winning

Speyside single malt.

Allof our malt is Vintage whisky, representing a sigle year or collection of years. Our single

Vintages, limited and rare, each captures a unique essence and flavor, never to be repeated.

Our Rserves give you the opportunity of enjoying a numer of selected Vintages from

different years – married together in perfect harmony.

Ronnie Cox, The Glenrothes Brand Abassador

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Founded in 1698 at No. 3 St. Jame’s Street in London. Berry Bros. & Rudd is probably the

world’s oldest wine and spirit merchant.

As proprietors of The Glenrothes, it is Berry Bros. & Rudd’s valuas of quality and integrity

which determine the philosophy behind the well – bred Speyside single malt. Vintage

whisky like vintage wine, matured at its own pace.

Our long history has provided us with the understanding and the patience to ensure that

we only offer expressions of The Glenrothes to our discerning customers at the moment

when our experts deem them to be perfectly mature and ready to be savoured.

Simon Berry, Chairman Berry Bros. & Rudd.

Our long history has provided us with the understanding and the patience to ensure that

we only offer expressions of The Glenrothes to our discerning customers at the moment

when our experts deem them to be perfectly mature and ready to be savoured.

Simon Berry, Chairman Berry Bros. & Rudd.

Speyside
GLENROTHES - GLENLIVET

Rothes, Moray. Eigendom van

James Stuart, eigenaar van Macallan, besloot uit te breiden, maar kon dit niet geheel zelf opbrengen.

Hij nam als partners twee medewerkers van de Caledonian Bank, de beheerder van het filiaal te Rothers, Robert Dick en de juridische adviseur van het filiaal te Elgin, van dezelfde bank, John Cruickshank.
De uitbreiding was heel succesvol en de partners dachten aan de bouw van een nieuwe distilleerderij. Maar in 1878 brak de ergste economische crisis sinds honderd jaar uit.

De City of Glasgow Bank ging bankroet en de Caledonian Bank kwam in heel grote moeilijkheden .

Dit was rampzalig voor de twee partners van James Stuart, zowel Dick als Cruickshank waren niet alleen aandeelhouders van de bank, maar hadden hun eigen rekeningcourant krediet gebruikt voor de financiering van hun deelname in het whiskyavontuur.

Ze beëindigden hun samenwerking met James Stuart en vormden een nieuwe maatschappij samen met William Grant & Co, te Elgin.
Door de gewijzigde omstandigheden werd Glenrothes op een veel kleinere schaal gebouwd. De eerste spirit kwam op 28 December 1879 uit de ketels. Dat was ook de dag dat tengevolge van een geweldige storm de brug over de Tay instortte.

De manager was J.B. Henderson. De tijden bleven slecht, en Glenrothes produceerde ongeveer 80.000 gallons whisky per jaar, terwijl het 132.000 gallons kon produceren.

Er moest steeds meer geld worden geleend: eerst van de bank 2000 pond, gevolgd door weer 800 pond, toen van twee lokale zakenmensen elk 1000 pondd, gevolgd door 2000 pond, geleend van Vice - Admiraal Crombie Gordon en ook nog 600 pond van een dominee in Archiestown.

En alsof het nog niet erg genoeg was besloot James Stuart, hun vroegere partner, zelf toch een tweede distilleerderij te bouwen in 1883: Glen Spey. Er volgde een strijd om het gebruik van water, wat een jaar in beslag nam.

In 1887 fuseerden de Islay Distillery Company, eigenaar van Bunnahabhain, met Glenrothes, en met actieve steun van W.A. Robertson, van Robertson & Baxter, die zich tot afname van veel van de whisky verplichtte, werd Highland Distillers gevormd.

Na deze fusie ging het veel beter met Glenrothes en in 1898werd de produktiecapaciteit verdubbeld. De eerste directeur van Highland Distillers werd W.A. Robertson. Robertson & Baxter (1857) zijn whiskyblenders en wijnhandelaren te Glasgow.

In 1892 wordt Glenglassaugh gekocht en in 1898 werd Tamdhu overgenomen.

Op 15 Mei 1922 ging 200.000 Gallon whisky in vlammen op.

In 1980 werd het ketelhuis uitgebreid, gevolgd door een uitbreiding in 1989, wat het aantal ketels op tien bracht, met een capaciteit van 5 miljoen liter spirit per jaar. Highland Park werd overgenomen in 1937.

In 1948 werden aandelen gekocht in Robertson & Baxter, blenders van onder andere Cutty Sark van Berry Bros & Rudd. (1690). Robertson & Baxter zijn zelf weer de eigenaars van Lang Brothers, op hun beurt de eigenaars vanGlengoyne.

In 1970 werd Matthew Gloag & Son Ltd, blenders van The Famous Grouse overgenomen door The Highland Distillers Company Pic.

In November 1979 was Highland Distillers doelwit van een overname poging door Hiram Walker (Canada). Ook werd er een nieuw ketelhuis bijgebouwd en werd het aantal ketels van acht op tien verhoogd.
Deze poging vond geen genade in de ogen van de Monopolies and Mergers Commission in Januari 1980. In 1998 was er een management buy-out.

In 1990 betaalde The Highland Distillers Company Pic 75.9 000.000 pond aan Orphar, de controlerende firma van Remy Martin en Cointreau, wat ze van 20 % in het aandelen-kapitaal verzekerde.
Toen ook verkocht Highland Distillers zijn 12,7 % belang inThe Macallan aan Orphar en verwierf voor 31.3 000.000 pond The Glenturret distillery van Cointreau.

Zowel het proces- als koelwater komt van land, rondom de distilleerderij gelegen. Glenrothes maakt ook deel uit van The Famous Grouse.

De bijna kogelronde fles van Glenrothes is ontworpen door Clare Berry Green, zuster van David Berry Green, van het meest prestigieuse wijnhuis van Engeland, en 300 jaar oud, Berry Bros & Rudd. Ze liet zich
inspireren door de gebruikte flessen in de 'Sample Room'.

De Mash tun is 5 ton. De twintig Wash backs hebben een inhoud van elk 25000 liter. De vijf Wash stills zijn 22000 liter groot, de vijf Spirit stills elk 19000 liter en worden indirect door stoom verhit. Glenrothes is 'Home of Cutty Sark'.

Glenrothes 12 years old werd voor het eerst uitgebracht in 1987. De maximale output is 4,7 miljoen liter spirit. Glenrothes is een snelrijpende whisky, en is zelfs al heel genietbaar met vier a vijf jaar. Glenrothes is heel geliefd bij blenders.

Glenrothes Distillery is famous for a fire which destroyed the No. 1 cask warehouse on 15th May 1922. Two hundred thousand gallons of maturing whisky went up in smoke and poured into the Burn of Rothes as the casks exploded.

Is is said that the trout were easy to reel in that night as they were 'docile' from the Glenrothes spirit.

PEERLESS
Duncan Taylor & Co, Huntly, Aberdeen.
In 1933 begon Abe Rosenberg, samen met twee broers een drankengroothandel in Syosset te New York.
De Star Liqueor Company verkocht de merken Duncan Taylor, Hartley Parkers en McColls in de staten New York, Connecticut en Miami.
Na de tweede wereldoorlog werd Abe Rosenberg de alleen importeur van J & B blended whisky.
In 1964 begon Abe Rosenberg te investeren in vaten Schotse Single Malt Whisky, en lette bij aankoop in het bijzonder op de soort- en kwaliteit van het hout van de vaten.
De whiskies van Islay hadden zijn bijzondere voorkeur.
In 1994, op 85 jarige leeftijd overleed Abe Rosenberg, en het beheer van zijn omvangrijke erfenis kwam in handen van een liefdadigheidsinstelling, die zijn naam droeg.
Om de erfenis ten gelde te maken zochten de beheerders contact in Schotland en kwamen uiteindelijk in contact met Euan Shand.
Euan Shand, zoon van een vroegere manager van Glendronach, en opgegroeid op de distilleer-derij, ging na zijn opleiding werken bij Allied Distillers te Glasgow, en was ook nog kort tijdelijk manager van Ardmore.
Na een korte onderbreking administrateur - boekhouder startte hij de Bennachie Scotch Whisky Co.
In 1997 kocht Euan Shand de merken Glendarroch en Whisky Galore.
Euan Shand werd koper de whiskyvoorraad en Duncan Taylor & Co.
Deze voorraad bestaat uit ongeveer 4000 vaten whisky, deels inmiddels heel oud en bijzonder.
Macallen, Bowmore, Glen Grant en St. Magdalene, Laphroaig en Bunnahabhain uit 1966, gelagerd in Cognac en Sherryvaten.

In 1896, extension work at the Glenrothes - Glenlivet distillery began 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 and again in 1922 when there was a fire in ware-
house Number 1.

Glenrothes - Glenlivet Distillery was closed in 1942, when the Ministry of Food requisitioned it for drying oats

During the 1970s the distillery was completely refurbished and in 1982 a new still House was built for ten stills .In 1972 Highland Distilleries Co Ltd set up the subsidiary Glenrothes - Glenlivet Ltd to manage the distillery.

In 1988 this company became Glenrothes Distillery Co Ltd

In 1868 James Davidson sold his Macallan distillery at Rothes, Moray to James Stuart, proprietor of the Mills of Rothes.

In 1875 James Stuart went into partnership with Robert Dick, the agent of the Caledonian Bank in Rothes. Two other partners joined them: William Grant, also of theCaledonian Bank and John Cruickshank a solicitor from Elgin in Moray

The four men formed the firm of James Stuart & Co to improve the distillery. In 1878 they decided to build a new distillery in Rothes, Moray, but the project was Threatened by the collapse of the City of Glasgow Bank.

The result was the suspension of business at the Caledonian Bank and consequently the partnership was dissolved in 1878. James Stuart retained the Macallan distillery and meal mill. In the same year John Cruickshank, William Grant and Robert Dick formed a new firm, William Grant & Co and continued with the construction of the new distillery.

In May 1879 the Glenrothes - Glenlivet distillery was opened, with Robertson & Baxter appointed as agents

The partners faced several years of financial difficulty and debt, including pressure from the bank on Robert Dick and William Grant who were still employees.

From 1883 the performance of Glenrothes - Glenlivet improved. In 1884 marketing was assisted when the firm was finally permitted, together with the other distillers of Speyside, Moray to use the formerly restricted 'Glenlivet' name and so the distillery became known as the Glenrothes - Glenlivet Distillery

However in 1885 the decrease in the distiller's profits once more reflected the depression of the market. In July 1897 as a result of this depression William Grant & Co merged with the Islay Distillery, proprietors of Bunnahabhain Distillery,on Islay, Argyll & Bute, to form Highland Distilleries Co Ltd.

September 2012

GLENROTHES EXTRAORDINARY CASK COLLECTION:
Berry Bross & Rudd has launched a 1970 Vintage as the first from a series of single cask 1970 single cask bottling at 40.6 % and non chill filtered from a ex bourbon hogshead.

October, 2014
Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits has announced the release of The Glenrothes Vintage Reserve, a range of 10 different vintages from the last three decades.
The Glenrothes Vintage single malts all carry an age statement and have an RRP of TW$1200 per bottle.
The Glenrothes 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 will initially launch in Taiwan in November with worldwide release following in 2015.

Ronnie Cox, The Glenrothes brand heritage director, said: "Unlike other malts that bottle by age, we choose whiskies that represent the best of a particular year and marry them together when they are ready.
"Whisky enthusiasts want to know what they are buying and, as ever, we are happy to oblige by being open and transparent about the 10 Vintages assembled together for Vintage Reserve, our most complex Reserve to date," Cox said.

Mashing is speedy, while fermentation in a mix of steel and wood is on the shorter side. A ratio of two wood to one steel balances any differences in character, while the length of the fermentation introduces a cereal note beneath the fruit. Distillation, however, is long in very tall stills with boil bulbs which help to maximise reflux and allow the full range of Glenrothes’ complexities to be teased out.

The bulk is then aged in ex-Sherry casks (European and Spanish) which again necessitates the need for lengthy maturation. Ex-Bourbon is also used. The result is a multifaceted single malt which combines nuts and fruits with a distinctly sweet spiciness.

Built in 1878 at the start of the third wave of distilleries,Glenrothes almost foundered before it was even completed. Like any number of what were still speculative ventures, the initial investors (all of whom owned Macallan at the time) fell foul of wider economic circumstance, in their case the collapse of the Glasgow Bank. The group split, with William Grant (not the same as Glenfiddich), Robert Dick and John Cruikshank continuing with their Rothes plan which was only completed thanks to a timely loan from the United Free Presbyterian Church of Knockando who though strict Rechabites (teetotalers) were clearly imbued with the spirit of Christian charity.

Glenrothes prospered after this less than happy start and when it amalgamated with Bunnahabhain in 1887 broughtHighland Distillers into existence. With Robertson & Baxter as agents, Glenrothes was immediately marked out as top-class blending material, its most notable destinations being Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse.

As with many distilleries, the 1960s boom saw an increase in capacity (here from four to six stills), and continuing optimism saw another pair being added in 1980 just as the rest of the industry was calming supply down. In 1989 it once again defied the market and upped the number to ten.

In 1987 its long relationship with Cutty Sark brought Glenrothes into the portfolio of London wine merchants Berry Brothers & Rudd (which owned 50% of the Cutty brand). This was given greater impetus in 1993 when Berrys repackaged the single malt and began releasing expressions as vintages rather than standard age statements. These smaller single year batches allowed Berrys to express different aspects of the whisky’s evolution during maturation (rather than differences between flavour from year to year).

In recent years the vintages have been joined by larger volume no-age-statement releases such as Select Reserve and Alba Reserve.

In 2010, Berrys sold Cutty Sark to Edrington (the firm formed out of Highland Distillers) in exchange for ownership of The Glenrothes brand. The plant itself however remained part of Edrington and the liquid played a significant role in the firm’s blends as well as those from competitors.

In 2017 Edrington bought the Glenrothes brand back from Berry Bros. in a bid to accelerate the single malt’s growth in international markets. Glenrothes single malt Speyside whisky official bottling was launched in

1987 and 12 years old. Seven years later Berry Bros & Rud made the bolt step to releasing vintages expressions. The only other distillery that followed a few years later was Balblair distillery. This bottling of vintage

made The Glenrothes stand out but in 2008 B. B & R decided to release expressions without vintage. the first one was Robur Reserve and was followed by more bottlings.

But in 2017 The Edrington Group reclaimed ownership of The Glenrothes after seven years with B B & R, and in 2018 The Edrington Group declared that vintage bottlings from The Glenrothes are a thing of the past and in a new range was launched with age statements !

1878

James Stuart & Co builds

a new distillery in Rothes with

William Grant, Robert Dick and

John Cruikshank

1979

The distillery opens under

William Grant & Co, and

minus the involvement of Stuart

who suffered financial setbacks

1884

The distillery changes its name to

Glenrothes-Glenlivet

1887

Glenrothes merges with

Islay Distillery Co, owner of

Bunnahabhain, to form

Highland Distillers

1897

A fire breaks out at the distillery,

and an explosion six years later

causes significant damage

1863

Glenrothes' stills are expanded

from four to six. Over the next 26

years the figure rises to 10 stills

1987

Glenrothes begins its relationship

with London wine merchantBerry

Brothers & Rudd by joining its portfolio

1993

Berry Bros. repackages the brand

and begins to release single vintages

1999

Edrington, along with William Grant

& Sons, buys Highland Distillers

2010

Edrington buys the Cutty Sark

brand from Berry Bros, giving

the merchant the Glenrothes

brand (not the distillery) in return

2013

The Glenrothes no-age-statement

Manse Brae collection is released

2017

The Glenrothes brand is repurchased

by Edrington, reuniting the brand and

distillery once more

The Glenrothers Wine Brands Merchant's

Collection is released

2018

The entire range is revamped and four

new bottlings are released now with

a age statement

2019

A 40 year old, a 50 year old are

released

2020

Capacity: 5.600.000 Ltrs

Output: 4.000.000 Ltrs

A 13 years old Halloween Edition is released

2022

A new department Director to sell more of

Glenrothes in the United States named

Director of Breakthrough Brands

CAPACITY (MLPA) i

5.2

CONDENSER TYPE i

Shell and tube

FERMENTATION TIME i

55-60hrs

GRIST WEIGHT (T) i

5.45

HEAT SOURCE i

Indirect steam

MASH TUN TYPE i

Lauter

SPIRIT STILL CHARGE (L) i

14,000

SPIRIT STILL SHAPE i

Onion with boil ball

STILLS i

WAREHOUSING i

40,000 butt equivalent of dunnage

and racked

WASH STILL CHARGE (L) i

12,000

WASH STILL SHAPE i

Onion with boil ball

WASHBACK SIZE (L) i

24,000

WASHBACK TYPE i

12 wood, 8 stainless steel

WASHBACKS i

WATER SOURCE i

Spring

YEAST TYPE i

Cream

OWNERS

The Edrington Group

1999 - present

Berry Bros & Rudd

2010 - 2017 (brand only)

Highland Distillers

1887 - 1999

William Grant & Co

1879 - 1887

James Stuart & Co

1878 - 1879

GLENROTHES 1988 VINTAGE GETS SECOND RELEASE

February 2017

Speyside distillery Glenrothes has unveiled the second edition of its 1988 vintage single malt – eight years after its initial release.

Glenrothes 1988 2nd Edition

Second look: Former Glenrothes malt master John Ramsay decided the whisky needed more time in cask

The first edition of the 1988 vintage came in 2009, when the then Glenrothes malt master, John Ramsay, bottled some of the whisky, but decided that the rest needed to spend more time in cask.

Glenrothes 1988 2nd Edition was matured in a mix of first fill American oak Sherry hogsheads and refill Sherry butts.

Bottled at 44.1% abv, it is higher in strength than the 1st Edition (which was 43% abv) and, said Glenrothes, has ‘greater intensity and a richer character’.

Described by brand heritage director Ronnie Cox as ‘a deliciously full Glenrothes made for the ultimate armchair conversation’, Glenrothes 1988 2nd Edition is available from Berry Bros & Rudd, priced at £375 for a 70cl bottle, and internationally for €359/US$500/NT$8,500.

GLENROTHES DITCHES VINTAGES FOR NEW RANGE

September 2018

Speyside distillery Glenrothes is replacing its range of vintage whiskies with a series of age-stated malts that ‘talk to the modern drinker’.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection

Soleo Collection: Glenrothes believes age statements indicate a higher quality whisky

The new Glenrothes Soleo Collection, which will replace all existing Glenrothes expressions, features six Sherried single malts, five of which carry an age statement.

The move is a departure from the vintages – bottlings containing whisky distilled in one single year – Glenrothes has become renowned for since introducing them in 1993.

A spokesperson for Glenrothes said: ‘Premium drinkers are more confident when choosing a whisky with an age statement, as it acts as an important cue in navigating the range.

‘What’s more, to them, the age statement is indicative of a whisky with better taste and a higher quality.’

The new whiskies in the range include:

Glenrothes Soleo Collection 10 Year Old

(£37), a 40% abv malt matured in Sherry-seasoned oak casks with notes of shortbread, vanilla and citrus peel.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection 12 Year Old

(£42), also bottled at 40% abv and which has been matured in Sherry-seasoned casks, but which has notes of cinnamon and melon.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection Whisky Maker’s Cut

(£55), a no-age-statement expression matured in first-fill Sherry-seasoned casks and bottled at 48.8% abv.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection 18 Year Old

(£100), created using a high proportion of whisky matured in first-fill Sherry-seasoned casks and bottled at 43% abv.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection 25 Year Old

(£375), which having also been matured in a high proportion of first-fill Sherry-seasoned casks and bottled at 43% abv, has notes of salted caramel, mango and coriander.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection 40 Year Old

(price tbc), which will be introduced in February 2019.

The new Glenrothes range will continue to be presented in the same signature Glenrothes bottle, though the labels will now feature a flavour map as a guide for buyers to navigate the range.

The range is being introduced just over a year after the Glenrothes brand was sold by London wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd back to distillery owner Edrington.

And then there is Glenrothes. Now fully under the ownership of Edrington, the attachment to vintage releases has been cast aside in favour of a (mostly) age-stated range named the Soleo Collection that is, like much of Edrington’s output, matured in ex-Sherry casks.

Glenrothes Soleo Collection

Numbers game: The new, age-stated Glenrothes range is a departure for the malt

We’re told by the company that ‘premium drinkers are more confident when choosing a whisky with an age statement, as it acts as an important cue in navigating the range’. Beyond my befuddlement about what exactly a ‘premium drinker’ is, I can’t really argue with that.

‘What’s more, to them, the age statement is indicative of a whisky with better taste and a higher quality.’ (My italics.) Now this is interesting. ‘To them…’ The implication here is that Edrington doesn’t believe this statement to be true – and, by the way, it certainly isn’t – but it’s willing to go along with it because these ‘premium drinkers’ mistakenly believe it.

This takes us back to the rationale behind Glenrothes’ espousal of vintage releases in the first place, back in 1993. I well remember upremacy of maturity over age, of releasing whiskies when they were at the perfect pitch, rather than just because they’d reached a particular birthday.

This philosophy also gave Glenrothes a quirk, a slight sense of idiosyncrasy in an increasingly crowded and homogenous marketplace of malts. Did it take a bit longer to explain to people? Did those people have to spend a few minutes more getting their heads around the concept? Yes. So what?

This is not to say that the new Glenrothes Soleo whiskies are bad. They’re not, they’re perfectly decent single malts from a fabulous distillery. Nor is it to say that age statements have no place in whisky; they are what they are, a serviceable but imperfect and never definitive signpost to relative quality and value.

I think, in the end, it’s the lack of courage that bugs me about the Glenrothes revamp. A 10-year-old, a 12-year-old, an 18-year-old, a 25-year-old and a 40-year-old; the riskiest move is a ‘premium’ NAS whisky which costs more than the 12. Soleo, but where’s the soul?

It’s safe, it’ll probably be successful, but it also smacks of an opportunity lost to reinvent the Glenrothes vintage USP for a new generation, just because it might be a slightly harder sell, and represent a road ‘less travelled by’.

GLENROTHES TAPS FINE WINE FOR NEW RANGE

March 2017

Speyside single malt Glenrothes has launched the Glenrothes Wine Merchant’s Collection, a new limited edition collection of whiskies finished in casks sourced from some of the world’s most famous wine estates.

Glenrothes Wine Merchant's Collection

Final touch: Glenrothes 1992 has been matured in a selection of wine, Port and rum casks

Distillery owner Berry Bros & Rudd created the Glenrothes Wine Merchant’s Collection using whisky distilled at the Rothes distillery in 1992, and matured until 2014 in ex-Bourbon hogshead casks.

The whisky was then transferred into casks that previously contained wines from Château de Beaucastel (Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Lustau (Jerez) and Ridge (Calfornia) vineyards, Port houses Warre’s and Graham’s, and into ex-rum casks from the St Lucia Distillery.

Only several hundred bottles of each expression – and as few as 138 for the rum-finished vintage – are available to purchase from Berry Bros & Rudd and select retailers in various markets, priced at £200 (US$300) per bottle.

Ronnie Cox, brands heritage director at Berry Bros & Rudd, said that many casks had to be ‘blended away’, leaving the brand with a few casks that ‘generously’ complemented the flavour profile of Glenrothes.

Cox said: ‘The combination of flavours of both wine and whisky and their balance is always a delightful challenge, but I hope you agree that each of these expressions proudly manifests the distinguished nobility of both.’

The new collection follows two recent relaunches from Glenrothes, including the second version of the Glenrothes 1988 vintage and the second edition of Glenrothes 1995 American Oak.

LAST DROP RELEASES GLENROTHES 1968 ‘TWINS’

June 2018

Rare spirits specialist The Last Drop Distillers has released its first Speyside single malts – a pair of single cask Glenrothes whiskies distilled in 1968.

Rare pair: The two Glenrothes casks contained whisky distilled on the same day in 1968

The two ex-Bourbon casks have lain together maturing for nearly 50 years after being filled on the same day in 1968 at the distillery in Rothes, Speyside.

According to whisky writer Charles MacLean, the first Glenrothes – limited to 168 bottles at 51.3% abv – has ‘a complex, mellow aroma which is at once fruity and herbal’, while the second (141 bottles; 50.2% abv) has a highly perfumed aroma of ‘scented hand cream, attar of roses, carnations’.

Both whiskies carry a price tag of £5,400/US$6,250, including a 70cl bottle, plus a 50ml miniature, in a suede-lined, handmade red leather case. The pack also includes a certificate of authenticity and a pocket-sized tasting book.

The Glenrothes pair are the 12th release from The Last Drop, the second single malt Scotch (after Glen Garioch 1967) and the first Speyside single malt from the company.

The Last Drop Distillers, founded by drinks industry veterans James Espey and Tom Jago, was acquired by US-based Sazerac, owner of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, in 2016.

GLENROTHES 1995 AMERICAN OAK RELAUNCHED

March 2017

Speyside distillery Glenrothes has announced the relaunch of its 1995 vintage single malt – six years after the year was initially released.

Glenrothes 1995 American Oak

Second time around: The American oak casks used were ‘not ready’ for the initial Glenrothes 1995 release

Glenrothes Vintage 1995 American Oak is a vatting of 100% first fill American oak casks seasoned with dry oloroso Sherry in Jerez de la Frontera – casks which were deemed ‘not ready’ at the time of the initial 1995 release in 2011.

The earlier release – the first specifically laid in cask to be bottled as a Glenrothes vintage single malt – was a combination of first fill American oak seasoned with Sherry, and refill casks.

The new Glenrothes 1995 release is described by malt master Gordon Motion as bringing to mind ‘sweet, creamy vanilla, lemon zest and melon’.

Ronnie Cox, Glenrothes brand heritage director, added: ‘Again we have another example of how casks, not quite good enough some years before, have achieved unanticipated greatness with the combination of additional time and cask selection.

‘The Vintage 1995 American Oak is another cracker for the back of my cabinet to be revisited with really good friends.’

The relaunch follows a second release of Glenrothes 1988 vintage, announced last month.

Glenrothes Vintage 1995 American Oak is bottled at 45% abv and will retail at £100 per bottle in the UK, and €116, US$123 or TWD3,946 overseas.

G&M UNVEILS NEW-LOOK PRIVATE COLLECTION

November 2018

Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail (G&M) has released two new single cask bottlings from its Private Collection series, a 33-year-old Inverleven and 44-year-old Glenrothes, in redesigned bottles and packaging.

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection Inverleven 33, Private Collection Glenrothes 44

Extremely exclusive: Only a few hundred new-look Private Collection bottles have been produced

The Inverleven single malt was filled into a refill Bourbon barrel, labelled cask #562, for Gordon & MacPhail in 1985, six years before the Lowland distillery was mothballed.

Priced at £1,000 and limited to 130 bottles, the whisky is bottled at a cask strength of 57.4% abv and is said to possess ‘intense tropical fruit aromas’ on the nose and ‘sweet flambéed banana’ on the palate.

The Glenrothes single malt was filled into a refill Sherry puncheon, labelled cask #18440, for Gordon & MacPhail in 1974.

Bottled at 49.5% abv and limited to 276 bottles, the whisky is priced at £1,250 and is said to carry ‘complex aromas of Sherry soaked fruitcake’ on the nose and ‘fruit and nut chocolate with hints of raisin’ on the palate.

The new packaging for the Private Collection range includes a heavyweight bottle with vertical ridges, presented in a veneered wooden gift box.

Future Private Collection releases ‘to be revealed in coming months’ will adopt this new style of packaging, the company said.

The redesign is the latest alteration in a year of change for G&M, after it streamlined its portfolio of products in April from 16 different ranges down to five in order to stop consumers ‘getting lost’.

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection

The Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection includes an ultra-rare whisky from Inverleven Distillery and a 44-year old single malt distilled at Glenrothes Distillery. Philip Day appraises both whiskies.

This detailed review of the Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection includes tasting notes by Gordon & MacPhail as well as Philip Day’s own personal tasting notes.

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.’

We all like a bargain. I recently picked up a couple of bottles in one of those ‘flash’ online sales – one a dependable old friend, the other a marginal gamble risked on the positive verdict of others.

Both are excellent whiskies. Bowmore Vault Edition First Release was the calculated risk, but a worthwhile one – a ballsy Bowmore with lots of savoury charm. The old friend was Ballantine’s 17 Year Old, and it is, as ever, simply sublime.

The sale having passed, I Googled them both again, to find the latter a tidy sum less expensive than the former. Whatever the perceived sexiness of single malts from Islay, this set me thinking: why? Have blends fallen so far from grace? Sadly, it seems, the answer is yes.

The easy comparison here would be between a 17-year-old and an NAS (no age statement) product. But then I have to stop myself, and run through a checklist of the stunning NAS whiskies I have tasted, matched against the impressive ages of some singularly unimpressive bottles on the other side of the equation.

To put it another way, Ballantine’s 17 Year Old is not a better whisky because of the number that is attached to it; it is a better whisky because it is, well, better.

Then again, age statements seem to be back in vogue. In a seeming age of stock shortages and NAS ubiquity, Old Pulteney is bucking the trend, Tamdhu is swapping a 10-year-old for a 12-year-old, The Glenlivet 12 Year Old should be back soon, and Tomatin is taking out a vintage malt in favour of a 30-year-old (which, incidentally, is a beauty).

Glenrothes Soleo Collection

Numbers game: The new, age-stated Glenrothes range is a departure for the malt

This takes us back to the rationale behind Glenrothes’ espousal of vintage releases in the first place, back in 1993. I well remember the sainted Ronnie Cox, of former Glenrothes owner Berry Bros & Rudd, trumpeting the supremacy of maturity over age, of releasing whiskies when they were at the perfect pitch, rather than just because they’d reached a particular birthday.

Still, at least they kept the bottle.

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection

The popularity of malt whisky, worth over £1 billion to the UK economy last year, continues to flourish. Cognizant of this trend, Gordon & MacPhail, the specialists in Single malt Scotch whisky maturation is releasing two very desirable bottlings, as part of its redesigned ‘Private Collection’ range of single cask releases, from celebrated, little-known and closed distilleries, which have been personally selected by members of the Urquhart family that has owned the company for four generations.

The new look to the range features beautifully crafted ridged heavyweight bottles presented in exquisitely veneered presentation boxes.

The first releases in the new-look range comprise an ultra-rare whisky from Inverleven Distillery and a forty-four-year-old single malt distilled at Glenrothes Distillery.

Both bottlings have been chosen by Stuart Urquhart, Associate Director of Whisky Supply, who determined that the two whiskies from the Glenrothes and Inverleven distilleries, being matured in Gordon & MacPhail casks, had achieved their peak potential and were ready to be bottled.

In 1985, Ian Urquhart sent a refill bourbon barrel (Cask 562) to the Inverleven Distillery (Dumbarton) situated in the ‘Scottish Lowlands’ whisky region. This distillery had been making spirit for only forty-seven years beginning in 1938 and new-make would only flow for another six years before the Inverleven still was mothballed, in 1991. In 2002, the site was demolished, never to produce again.

Inverleven malt whisky has always been something of a rarity, given the fact that the stills required to produce it were removed in 1991, so the whisky will disappear altogether as stocks are sold off in the decades to come.

This exceptional single malt has matured for thirty-three years before being bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at cask strength (ABV 57.4%). It will retail around £1000.

Inverleven Distillery 1985 (Private Collection) 57.4% ABV

Region: Lowland

Distilled: Tuesday, 22 January, 1985

Bottled: Friday 6 July, 2018

Age: 33 years old

Cask No.: 562

Cask Type: Refill bourbon barrel

Outturn: 130 bottles

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection

Tasting notes by Gordon & MacPhail

Colour: Dark Gold

Aromas: Intense tropical fruit aromas to begin – cooked pineapple, honeydew melon, coconut cream, and little burst of sharp yet sweet lime. A sweet creaminess continues with notes of vanilla ice-cream, sugared red apples, apricot jam, and white chocolate. Hints of overripe cherry and almond marzipan develop into flowering gorse.

Flavours: Creamy and mouth-coating; warming white pepper notes transform into sweet flambéed banana, Madagascan vanilla pod, and salted toffee. Subtle spicy undertones remain as toasted malt comes to the fore; a drying cocoa and charred oak edge develops.

Finish: A long and lingering charred oak finish with a subtle floral edge.

Personal tasting notes

Nose: Aromatic with initial notes of sweet tropical fruit cut by a slight citric tang. Pleasing whiffs of top quality vanilla ice-cream alongside hints of the sticky cherry jam and almondy marzipan of a cherry bakewell.

Taste: Well-rounded creaminess and sweetness on the palette, offering warming peppery notes, complimented by a spicy, if slightly charred oakiness and toasted malt with a final offering of bitter dark chocolate.

Finish: The pleasant charred oakiness with its subtle undertones of floral notes provide a lengthy lingering finish.

In short, a lovely old dram, the nose is tempting while the taste delivers a refined and rewarding experience.

The second ‘Private Collection’ release dates back to 1974 when a refill Sherry puncheon (with a capacity of 110 imperial gallons (500 litres) was filled at Glenrothes Distillery in Speyside. Currently owned by Edrington, and produces some aged malts for Berry Brothers and Rudd, the famed London wine merchants. Most of the spirit from this distillery, however, is best known for its use in blended scotch whiskies, such as ‘Cutty Sark’ and ‘The Famous Grouse’.

This exclusive single malt has matured for forty-three years before being bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at cask strength (ABV 49.5%). It will retail around £1250.

Glenrothes Distillery 1974 (Private Collection) 49.5% ABV

Region: Speyside

Distilled: Monday, 2 December, 1974

Bottled: Friday 6 July, 2018

Age: 43 years old

Cask No.: 18440

Cask Type: Refill Sherry puncheon

Outturn: 276 bottles

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection

Tasting notes by Gordon & MacPhail

Colour: Mahogany

Aromas: Complex; aromas of Sherry soaked fruitcake filled with stewed sultanas mingle with sticky Medjool dates. Dark chocolate and citrus peel notes develop; a gentle woodiness with a delicate herbal edge comes to the fore.

Flavours: Elegant, smooth, and sweet; Subtle cinnamon and nutmeg flavours balance the mature oak and Sherry influences. Notes of fruit and nut chocolate and hints of raisin and toasted walnut emerge and evolve into zesty citrus. Salted toffee develops towards the end.

Finish: A modest, medium sweet finish fades; hints of charred oak and chocolate remain.

Personal tasting notes

Nose: Distinctive sherry aroma combined with hints of alcohol soaked vine fruit are evocative of a matured sherry-fed Christmas fruitcake, minus the over dominance of the spice ingredients. Notable hints of premium quality dark chocolate infused with orange oil mixed with a delicate trace of fresh herbs.

Taste: Exquisitely sweet and smooth with emerging flavours of warming nutmeg and cinnamon and a welcome nutty toffee note together with touches of citrus zest that perfectly balances the influence of the spirit’s time in the Sherry puncheon.

Finish: Lingering chocolate notes combined with subtle hints of charred oak remain as the medium length finish subsides.

Out of the two samples tested, for me this one has the slight edge, being nicely balanced and complex.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige and member of the Urquhart family, said:

“For over a century my family has been maturing whisky and using our skills, experience, and passion for single malts to recognise exactly the right moment to bottle a spirit that will be loved by discerning whisky drinkers around the globe. These two exquisite malts are complemented perfectly by the beautiful new packaging.”

Among Gordon & MacPhail’s maturing stocks are casks from no fewer than twenty-six closed, mothballed or demolished Scotch distilleries – a liquid archive unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

Further ultra-rare releases from the new ‘Private Collection’ will be revealed in coming months.

For further information, please visit their website at https://www.gordonandmacphail.com/

Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is renowned as a curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

Managing a portfolio of casks is a complex business. The Urquhart family have honed their expertise over generations allowing them to fully comprehend how the different styles of spirit produced by Scotland’s individual distilleries will mature in cask.

It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.

It is this in-depth knowledge and experience of cask curation that allows them to consistently deliver a range of perfectly matured whiskies.

“Our maturation management creates complex, balanced and subtle single malts, which will only carry the Gordon & MacPhail name when ready”.

The Gordon & MacPhail core malt whisky portfolio:

In 2018, the company unveiled its new portfolio:

Discovery – Utterly dependable, this flavour-led range is the perfect introduction to our portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies.

Distillery Labels – A range celebrating our long-standing relationships with Scotland’s distilleries.

Connoisseurs Choice – The heart of our portfolio – always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural coloured, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs.

Private Collection – Greatly-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family.

Generations – A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive masterpieces.

(See website for more details)

In addition to possessing an inimitable knowledge of Scottish single malts and passion for matching spirit with oak, the Urquhart family long held an unfulfilled ambition to own its own distillery. This desire finally became a reality in 1993 with the purchase of the Benromach Distillery on the outskirts of Forres, just twelve miles from the steps of their world famous shop in Elgin. Following five years of careful and deliberate re-equipping, Benromach Distillery was officially reopened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

THE WAY I SEE IT...

DON’T LET THE VINTAGE MALT DIE OFF

January 2019 by Ronnie Cox

Berry Bros & Rudd’s brands heritage director Ronnie Cox introduced vintages to Glenrothes malts in the 1990s. With the brand now under the ownership of Edrington, which recently reintroduced age statements, Cox argues vintage whisky still has an important role to play.

Glenrothes vintage single malt whisky

Date stamp: A vintage malt, like these Glenrothes editions, contains whisky distilled in a single year

Edrington’s decision to exchange vintage Glenrothes for the Soleo Collection based on age statements has got me thinking. When we pioneered vintage malts at Berry Bros & Rudd in 1994 it was quite a radical move, and one I believe had many virtues.

At the time Berry Bros – better known then as a top-end wine merchant – had a very small, esoteric range of single cask whiskies that we’d bottle occasionally. We also owned the Cutty Sark blend, but we had no distillery and no brand of single malt. So, when looking at the increasingly popular world of single malts, we needed to differentiate ourselves and wondered: ‘What can we add, that hasn’t already been tried?’

We approached what is now Edrington, secured an arrangement to develop the Glenrothes single malt and then looked at the marketing using the wine business as a springboard.

In wines each vintage will be slightly different from the previous one, yet maintain the core values of the Château or producer. Vintages for Glenrothes reflect the character of the distillery but vary according to the natural diversity in the casks rather than the climatic conditions in the vineyard you get with wine. With malt whisky there may be other factors such as changes in strains of barley or in distillery equipment, but I maintain the main cause of vintage variation lies in the wood.

New direction: The Soleo Collection marks a departure from vintage malts for Glenrothes

In my view, because ‘brands’ have to be consistent in flavour, colour and presentation by their very nature, the original recipe may have been maintained without the benefit of our increased knowledge of what happens in the cask. With Glenrothes we wanted to make a virtue out of these natural variations of wood and spirit and apply it to future vintages. In that way we would have lots of different styles and a platform for continuous improvement as opposed to a consistency in age statements.

These styles were also inspired by the wine world. A glass of Champagne represents an ‘upper’. It’s stimulating with its floral, citrus notes and effervescence, and is definitely a pre-dinner drink, while something heavier, spicier and sweeter like vintage Port is for the end of the evening. If it works for wine, we thought why not apply it to whisky with one vintage ‘uplifting’, another ‘relaxing’, and in between what I like to call a ‘conversational’ style of malt. Luckily Glenrothes’ new make sits in the middle – it’s not heavy, oily or full of smoke, so it proved relatively easy to play around with the different casks.

The original malt master John Ramsay and his able successor, Gordon Motion, deserve much of the credit. I would go to them and say we’re looking for an ‘uplifting’ style and after a year or two they understood exactly what I wanted. To make it easier for ourselves we limited the availability of the vintage to just 2% of what the distillery produced in the selected year. The rest went to satisfy the demand of the blenders, including Cutty Sark. John, Gordon and their team would carefully select the casks to fit the desired style. Over time we learned what really good casks could do to the wonderful Glenrothes spirit. When Edrington took over the brand in May 2017 it inherited a whole lot of really first-class casks.

Whisky wisdom: Cox argues vintage malt provides a platform for continuous improvement

But, my goodness, it was a hard concept to explain at first. I think the industry thought we were completely mad selling only vintage single malts in a peculiar, dumpy bottle. A few years later we were flattered to find Balblair had also embraced the concept along with the bulbous-shaped bottle in 2007. It definitely suits a boutique malt with very limited releases, but there is no doubt it becomes trickier as it grows.

I think the reason Edrington decided to go back to age statements was largely about stock management and consistency. They probably said: ‘Where will this brand be in 20 years’ time, and what sort of volumes will we be doing?’ From a commercial perspective age statements clearly make sense and they are certainly easier to manage.

That said, I believe Glenrothes should always have vintage malts in the background. It’s a concept that works very well for a slightly maverick, independent company, and if I were to start a new distillery I would definitely push it. The ground has been broken, the hard work done and I think there’s now a real opportunity for vintage malts. It is something that has taken a long time to get through to people and it would be a shame to consign it to history. There are definitely collectors out there hoping that Glenrothes will continue with vintages – I spent 25 years trying to convince them.

At the same time, we were the first to launch and maintain a no-age-statement offering in Select Reserve in 2004. These ‘Reserves’ (Sherry, Bourbon etc) were essentially a deconstruction of the component parts of the cask types which we had in each of our vintages.

Wood influence: Cox believes the main cause of vintage variation comes from the cask

More than anything it was the understanding of wood which drove us into this world of vintages, and a feeling that we had to raise the bar against the quality of whisky coming out of Japan for example, and that’s still true for the Scotch whisky industry. If we want to maintain our pre-eminent position we’ve got to look beyond maximising the yield, and try to improve every aspect of the process from the length of fermentation in the washbacks through to the final years of maturation. Quality will always win through.

From my experience with Glenrothes, it was like having two businesses in the same distillery. One was about producing enormous quantities of spirit for blending. The other (vintages) involved taking a small amount of that same spirit and nurturing it through its formative years and adolescence, until it comes out as the best it can possibly be from that particular year.

Looking back, there are clear differences between the richer, fuller vintages from the 1970s, the slightly more elegant ones from the 1980s, and those of the 1990s that have a more modern touch to them. Nevertheless, the vintage expressions remained true to the ethos of the three basic styles: ‘uplifting’, ‘conversational’ and ‘relaxing’.

Finally, there is one other style which I like to call the Ronnie Cox Red Sox ‘Sleeper’. It is the ultimate nightcap which can be used if all else fails to sedate a boring dinner party guest who has stayed too long.