Rothes

Rothes boasts five distilleries – four of which are still working.  It was the quality of the water from the nearby hills that first led to the development of distilling in Rothes.  The first distillery to be established was Glen Grant which started production in 1840. It was followed by Glen Rothes in 1878; Glen Spey in 1885; Speyburn in 1897; and Caperdonich in 1898.  The Glen Grant Distillery has a welcoming visitor centre with coffee shop and a magnificent Victorian Garden.  The Garden, which is open to the public, was developed by Major James Grant in the 19th century, and features plants from all over the world.   

Rothes is also home to Forsyths, one of the world’s biggest coppersmiths, who make all the individual stills for the Distilleries. 

On the south end of the town there are ruins of an old castle wall which sit on the hill. Unfortunately the castle was burned down to prevent it becoming a refuge for thieves and now only one wall remains of 11th century Castle Rothes.  

For visitors looking for active pursuits the Rothes area is great for walking and rambling with the Speyside Way long distance path on the doorstep and lots of bracing hill walks amid spectacular scenery in the immediate area.  There are also testing mountain bike circuits as well as a challenging, hilly 9 hole golf course. The River Spey is famous for its salmon and is  the fastest flowing river in the country.