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 single cask Glenrothes (#909700) distilled in 1995 and bottled at cask strength in 2018, matured in a sherry butt. This bottling was part of the Artist range, created by La Maison du Whisky in 2011. Every year, a team from La Maison du Whisky visits Edradour to select casks from various distilleries from the vaults of Signatory Vintage. These casks are bottled individually at cask strength, without chill filtration or colouring. The range is organized into five-year age brackets, such as Over 5 Year Old and Over 10 Year Old. The labels for the range are produced by a different artist every year. A limited edition of 530 bottles.