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W Club Decanted x The Glenrothes
Following hot on the heels of a Whisky Shop distillery visit to the remarkable home of The Glenrothes, this instalment of the W Club Decanted sees Luke Crowley-Holland sit down with Guide Brand and Education Manager, Kat Robertson and Private Client Relationship Manager, Georgia Porteous from The Glenrothes to discuss all things past, present and future.
If you want to get the inside scoop on this incredible distillery, be sure to pick up a copy of the Whiskeria Summer 2025, which has just landed in stores today!
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"The Glenrothes' character, which Kat mentioned, is fruity and elegant at each different age point."
The podcast begins with Luke getting to know the guests' current roles and more of an insight into how they found their footing in the world of whisky.
Kat became a part of the whisky community in the same way many Speysiders do - by working seasonally in local distilleries during her student years, and finding her love of the liquid through interactions with visitors from far and wide, something which comes in handy in her current role!
And Georgia, who is based in Edinburgh but whose job takes her all over the UK and beyond, came through the more obscure pathway of a career in an auction house where she began to specialise in selling rare whiskies before her move across to The Glenrothes.
"I think if more people had The Glenrothes 18 as their first dram, we would have much more whisky drinkers in the world."
Next, the pod dives into the brand history, turning back the clock to the construction of the picturesque building in 1878, when James Stewart, then owner of The Macallan, decided to open a new distillery in Rothes, to great success! The liquid was used at that time for blending and it wasn't until much later that its own exceptional nature was recognised, and it began to be sold as a single malt. Fast forward to 1999 when Edrington took on The Glenrothes, and the 'Part 2' of this brand's history begins, with the art of brand building coming to the fore.
"Water is a a huge one for us. We're very, very lucky that we have an amazing estate. We've actually got about 300 acres [...] a lot of that is the hills above us, which protect our water source."
Of course, no podcast about The Glenrothes would be complete without mention of their famous water source, and the elegant quality of their whisky-making process.
"We have a 60 hour fermentation to try and start that fruity character [...] and we have 5 sets of stills. In balance distillation and we have a very, very tall stills to help produce that elegant and delicate character, we cut our spirit between about 77 and 67% alchol roughly, and then we reduce it down to about 69.7. When our spirit runs through our our spirit safe, we also slow down the flow rate to about 8 litres per minute, to help enhance that elegant and delicate style even more."
Find out more about The Glenrothes here
Featured Drams
Listened to the pod and want to get your hands on your very own bottle of The Glenrothes? You're in the right place - you can now buy these instore and online at The Whisky Shop!
The 15-year-old single malt from Speyside distillery, Glenrothes, is part of their newly designed 2024 offerings, with a circular casing with a lovely turquoise colour. Bottled at 43% abv, this is a complex malt with a many-layered flavour profile bringing notes of sweetness, spice, fruit and nuts in a crescendo that is both mellow and warming.
This 18-year-old Speyside single malt from The Glenrothes distillery in Rothes, is matured for its full lifetime in sherry-seasoned oak casks. With sleek new packaging for 2024, the whisky is presented in a luxurious purple presentation tin. Bottled at 43% abv.
On the nose, aromas of orange oil, vanilla pods, and almonds fill the nose, before a smooth palate of ginger, rose water, vanilla and pear. The finish is sweet, spicy and with a slight hint of pepper.
