Located within The Fife Arms hotel in Braemar, Scotland, Bertie's Whisky Bar offers nearly 400 whiskies.
The picturesque village of Braemar sits within Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, and is home to the 46-room The Fife Arms hotel, a charming and completely restored 19th-century coaching inn, adorned with over 14,000 historic objects and artifacts. It also houses the wonderful Bertie’s Whisky Bar, where 390-plus whiskies are arranged like books on backlit shelves, and guests are encouraged to examine them and nose their contents. It’s more like a fancy library and living room than a bar, with plush velvet couches instead of stools.
The immersive whisky experience at Bertie’s is as much for the novice as the expert, with the collection arranged by flavor profile—Fragrant, Fruit, Rich, or Smoky—rather than by name, age, or region. A selection of flights representing the four flavor categories is offered from £29 ($37)/25 ml pours, such as Linkwood 12 year old, Glen Elgin 12 year old, Glendronach 15 year old, and Ardbeg Uigeadail. Guided tastings led by the bar team are scheduled throughout the week, and bespoke tastings can be arranged. Whisky Afternoon Tea, a pairing of whiskies with sweet bites, is also offered, and whisky pairing dinners can be arranged upon request.
Bertie’s whisky selection is constantly evolving, and includes many single cask and rare bottlings, about 85% from Scotland, with America, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Taiwan, and New Zealand also represented. There are whiskies from shuttered distilleries like Pittyvaich, Littlemill, and Caperdonich, along with the recently launched house label, Fife Arms single cask, a 14 year old from Dailuaine Distillery. There are many accessible pours available, with several at £12/$15, including Glenfarclas 105 cask strength, Deanston 18 year old, and Aultmore 12 year old. Aberfedly 21 year old, nicknamed the “Golden Dram,” is a deal at £15/$19, and the list tops out with Hanyu The Game, distilled at the now-closed Hanyu Distillery in 2000, bottled in 2012, and one of only 309 bottles, for £860/$1,100 and Dalmore 40 year old at £888/$1,140. Interestingly, Bertie’s signature cocktail is the New World Import, a New Orleans Sazerac, made with Vermont’s WhistlePig 10 year old rye, sugar, bitters, and absinthe. The Inn sits near many famous Scottish attractions and distilleries, and is a wonderful watering hole to come back “home” to.
thefifearms.com
