Scotland, Speyside. Distillery operational. Owner: Edrington Group

Despite a pedigree any distillery would be proud of, Glenrothes has maintained its exclusive and rare character. Remaining for over a century in the fold of the Highland Distillers company (Edrington Group), then the owner of Macallan, Bunnahabhain, Highland Park and Tamdhu, Glenrothes made a name among malt enthusiasts for the excellence of its ex-sherry casks, illustrated by the 12 Year Old released in the 80s and 90s. Although, over the years, the Glenrothes distillery and brand have passed from owner to owner (Pernod Ricard, Berry Brothers & Rudd), it has nonetheless maintained a special place in the hearts of connoisseurs, as is shown by the continual success of its 1972, 1973 and 1979 vintages, despite the majority of its production continuing to be absorbed by the blends Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse.

A Speyside single malt produced at Glenrothes distillery, distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2006. This is a batch bottling and not a single cask. The date on the label “Checked 07/09/1991” corresponds to the date of a quality inspection on the spirit as it was put into casks. “Approved 24/05/2005” is the date on which the casks selected for the future bottling were inspected. The difference between “Approved” and the actual bottling date in 2006 corresponds to the time required for the whiskies from the various barrels to marry together having been blended in a single vat and diluted. In this case, the whisky is 13 years old. Bottle equipped with a cork stopper and a stamped black foil seal.