The Glenrothes distillery

The Glenrothes distillery stands beside the Burn of Rothes in a glen on the edge of Rothes in Speyside. It is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery built in 1878 by James Stuart & Co. The first whisky ran off the stills on 28 December 1879, the same day as the Tay Bridge disaster. The distillery has had a turbulent history marked by fires and explosions. In 1922, a fire in Warehouse Number One destroyed 200,000 imperial gallons of whisky. Expansion and rebuilding in 1962 and 1982 increased the number of stills. The distillery is worth the journey for its long and eventful history. James Stuart & Co, who also worked the nearby Macallan distillery, founded it. The distillery saw serious damage from fires in 1897, 1903, and 1922. A fire in 1962 allowed for expansion, and a rebuild in 1982 extended the still hall. The distillery now has five wash stills and five spirit stills. Visitors find a working distillery with no public tours or tastings. Visits are limited to private invitation only. The distillery sits beside the Burn of Rothes in a glen on the edge of Rothes. The surrounding area is part of the Speyside region known for its whisky production. The distillery's history is reflected in its rebuilt structures and increased still capacity.