Speyburn Distillery, Rothes: The Distillery in the Glen

Overview

Speyburn sits in a wooded glen just outside Rothes, one of the most photographed distilleries in Speyside thanks to its picturesque huddle of buildings in the trees. Its whisky is fresh, grassy and honeyed — an easy-going, good-value Speyside style that sells strongly, especially in the United States.

The history

Speyburn was built in 1897 by John Hopkins & Co, designed by the great distillery architect Charles Doig, who fitted it into its narrow glen. It rushed to distil its first spirit before the end of the year so it could carry the date of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee — the story goes that the maltmen worked in overcoats because the building wasn’t yet glazed. It was one of the first distilleries to use a drum maltings, and has been owned since 1991 by Inver House.

The water & the land

Speyburn is made with water from the Granty Burn and the Broad Burn, small tributaries of the Spey, chosen by the founder for their clean, unpolluted supply in the sheltered glen.

Speyburn had no founding clan — it was a commercial build — but Rothes, like the rest of this stretch of the Spey, was historically Clan Grant and Earl of Seafield country: Grant land underpins nearly every distillery in the district.

Visiting

Speyburn only opened its doors to the public in 2023, and runs small-group tours (up to about ten people) at set times, which should be booked. It generally opens Tuesday to Saturday; check the website.

Nearby & more whisky

• Also in Rothes: Glen Grant
• More small-scale Speyside: Benromach
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — regions, distilleries & the oldest of all

Sources

• Speyburn distillery — Wikipedia.
• Speyburn / Inver House; Difford’s Guide.