Quietly and without compromise, The Glenrothes distillery has been producing some of Speyside’s finest single malt for more than a century. What began in 1879 continues in much the same way to this day: the making of a no-nonsense, finely crafted single malt. A whisky made with integrity, authenticity and, above all, with expert craft.
Sherry seasoned casks
As one of the last distilleries in Scotland to maintain our own in-house cooperage, we take wood very seriously. That’s why the majority of The Glenrothes is matured in sherry seasoned oak casks, carefully produced to our exacting standards, in Jerez, Spain.
Sherry seasoning brings a unique depth of flavour to the maturation process. The Glenrothes continues to source and repair the most sought after sherry casks, driven by the knowledge that to make the best whisky, only the best wood will do.
Discover the flavour profiles of our casks
In order to achieve the unique flavour profiles that characterise our Soleo Collection, we use a combination of first fill and refill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks.
Sherry seasoned American Oak:
Vanilla, sweet & creamy, citrus
Sherry seasoned American oak provides a sweeter character, with notes of vanilla and honey. These notes really shine through in The Glenrothes Soleo Collection 10 Years Old and 12 Years Old.
Sherry seasoned European Oak:
Dried fruits, spice, dark chocolate
Casks made from sherry seasoned European oak have more tannins, providing a range of compounds that deliver a spicy, resinous and dried-fruit character. The Glenrothes Soleo Collection Whisky Maker’s Cut and 18 Years Old reveal a larger proportion of these notes.
Following a strict wood policy
Every cask at The Glenrothes is assessed on the quality of the whisky it last delivered to help us to determine if it will be used again. This will vary depending on each individual cask and the whisky profile we are seeking to create. Some carefully selected refill casks are chosen to help us to deliver a wider range of flavours to the final whisky.
We invest heavily in the manufacture of new casks to use across our entire portfolio. We can therefore ensure that every cask is used in the right way and that it delivers exactly what we need in terms of flavour and colour. Once a cask no longer fulfils this role, we will not use it again.
