By Scott Wright
AN exclusive destination for Scotch whisky connoisseurs is to open in the heart of Speyside following the major refurbishment of a nineteenth century castle.
Rothes Glen, a baronial mansion set amid 10 acres of land between Elgin and Rothes in Moray, is bidding to put itself on the tourist trail by offering “everything a whisky enthusiast could possibly look for”.
The country pile has always had a close connection to the whisky world, having been built in 1893 by Charles Chree Doig – the architect credited with inventing the distinctive pagoda roofs seen at many Scottish distilleries. Throughout its history it has been used as a private residence and, for five decades between 1948 and 1998, as a hotel.
Rothes Glen Limited (RGL) acquired the mansion in 2019 and has since undertaken an extension refurbishment project, supported by a £550,000 funding package from Royal Bank of Scotland.
The project involved the restoration of doors, windows and fireplaces, with original and authentic furnishings sourced. The mansion has 15 bedrooms and will open initially with ten suites available for group hire. It is expected that up to 10 permanent jobs will be created by the venture.
Damian Riley-Smith, chief executive of Rothes Glen, said: “Speyside is the largest whisky-producing region in Scotland, so establishing a dedicated home for whisky enthusiasts in this iconic location made perfect sense.
“With 44 distilleries within 30 minutes and 59 within a one-hour drive, we are ideally located to welcome a global audience who look to experience the finest facilities, food and outdoor experiences that Speyside has to offer.
“We have designed the home with everything a whisky enthusiast could possibly look for, including a tasting room, a whisky vault, whisky cabinets, a whisky library and most importantly, a great range of whisky. Guests will have the opportunity to have a fully serviced stay, with a personal chef and tour guide included in costs.”
“Although it has been a challenging 18 months to get up and running, we are incredibly grateful for the support from Royal Bank of Scotland which has enabled us to complete the final chapter of the Rothes Glen restoration. We are very proud of the finished result and look forward to welcoming guests.”
Leigh Cathcart, senior relationship manager at Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “With his enthusiasm and experience across the Scotch whisky industry, Damian has created a world-class destination that I’m confident will go on to enjoy great success. Royal Bank of Scotland has been delighted to support RGL on this journey, and we wish the team good luck now that the rest of the world can now enjoy the treasures inside Rothes Glen.”
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