The Glenrothes now has an elegantly revamped manor house where friends of the label can gather to celebrate all things whisky

Spend time with a whisky-lover and it won’t be long before Speyside gets a mention. Its distilleries draw on the sweet waters of the River Spey, so if you like your whisky fruity, honeyed and kissed by a sherry cask, this is the region for you.

Squirrelled away in the sinuous Speyside landscape is The Glenrothes Distillery, home of what its owners call “the world’s most elegant whisky” (and not to be confused with the Fife town of the same name). Don’t expect the usual visitor centre experience here; the distillery is actually closed to the public, and doesn’t even appear on road signs. There’s an air of mystery surrounding it, made only more tantalising by its newest endeavour: the redesign of Rothes House, the estate’s glorious manor house, now open to a very lucky select few. This is an exclusive experience, one that requires an invite directly from the brand.

“Everyone we invite comes as our guest,” explains Anna Lisa Stone, head of creative at The Glenrothes. “That’s important to us, to make sure people feel welcomed and at home – we encourage them to bring their slippers! We want them to experience true Scottish hospitality. Our guests are friends of The Glenrothes, people we’ve met all around the world, whose eyes light up when they encounter our whisky and want to learn more.”

Each experience is tailored specifically for the guests, but Anna Lisa hints at some of the treats on offer: “We could take you up to the hillside where you can drink the water straight from the ground – to the best of our knowledge, it’s the softest in Scotland. The Spey itself is brown because of all the peat, but take water from the hill and it’s crystal clear because it comes from ancient underground springs. Then you could come down to the distillery, explore the warehouse, roll a cask, sample the new-make spirit… We’ll take you back up to the house through the cemetery. I think ours is the only distillery to be built beside a cemetery – you’re literally passing the graves of the founders who dreamt the distillery into being.”

Back at the house, visitors will be spoiled with a tasting and perhaps a decadent meal in the feasting hall, prepared by a private chef, of course. The interiors have been completely rejuvenated by Studio Indigo. Director of interiors, Olga Fox, took the lead on the project. Fittingly, Anna Lisa and Olga first met at Fèis Ìle, Islay’s whisky festival, back in 2014.

This Behind Closed Doors feature about Glenrothes Estate is an excerpt from issue 168 of Homes & Interiors Scotland.

Want to read more? Buy our newest issue here.

Something a little different: this sharp, clean, angular tower adds definition to Murrayfield.

This sharp, clean, angular tower adds definition to Murrayfield