SMWS PARTNER BAR
The Malt Room
Believe it or not the capital of the Scottish Highlands went without having its own whisky bar for a very long time. That was until 2017 when The Malt Room opened its doors on Church Street in Inverness. This cosy watering hole offers whisky fans the chance to explore the tantalising flavours that single cask, cask strength whisky has to offer, and makes for a well fitted Society partner bar, as Duncan Gorman explains
For a long time the lack of a dedicated whisky bar in Scotland’s most northern city left locals and tourists stumped. It was something that The Malt Room’s operations director, John Donaldson, never fully understood.
He explains: “Having worked for years in hospitality in Inverness, one question that I was always asked was ‘where’s good to go for a whisky?’ and I was never able to give guests a good answer. It was clear there was a growing demand for a dedicated whisky bar in the capital of the Highlands. The Malt Room was opened to offer locals and visitors a place to enjoy whisky in a relaxed and informal environment, regardless of whether they are already a fan of whisky or are totally new to the spirit.”
This intimate space is perfect for whisky aficionados and novices alike, and with a range of Society offerings just added to their collection of over 450 bottles, there’s never been a better time to stop by. As with all our partner bars, The Malt Room gives people a small taste of what the Society is all about, through both the whisky and the experience. Just like any of our four Members’ Rooms across the UK, The Malt Room’s drammers are in good hands, with a wealth of knowledge behind the bar waiting to guide them to their ideal tipple.
John adds: “I think our most important value is the same as a lot of other venues, to provide the best service we can at all times. Rather than having a malt of the month or blindly recommending our personal favourites, we try to have a conversation with guests first to gauge their preferences and tailor each recommendation we make.
“Over the years we've purchased several older SMWS bottlings, and all of them have turned out to be fantastic. We have a constantly rotating whisky list, the majority of which consists of single cask, cask strength whiskies. It definitely makes sense to be a partner bar as the core values of the Society seem very much in line with our own.”
There’s also more to The Malt Room than carefully analysing the layers of your single malt in a Glencairn. Their range of seasonal whisky cocktails makes for a fun way to experience your favourite drams in a new light, as John adds: “Not everyone is a fan of whisky, so we work hard to make sure we have a varied offering to suit everyone, with a strong emphasis on local producers. Our cocktail list changes seasonally, with most of our cocktails containing whisky in some form.
“The hope is that people can see that the stigma around mixing whisky is a load of nonsense! As long as you enjoy it, have it how you like.”
One thing you can’t miss in The Malt Room is its size. With only 20 seats in the main public area, it doesn’t take long to fill. John continues: “I think our size is probably the thing that first time visitors comment on the most! We only have 20 seats in our main public bar with space for a further 16 in our private tasting room. It doesn't take long for the bar to fill up and guests will often have to share tables with other groups which leads to a friendly atmosphere.”
The 2021 Whisky Bar of the Year has a fun-filled calendar of events, with Society tastings recently added to the schedule. John adds: “As well as organising brand-led tastings with brand ambassadors from a range of different distilleries, we also organise our own in-house tastings with different themes. The Diageo’s managers drams was a recent standout!
“We also have a monthly women in whisky tasting event which is run by our general manager Oliwia which has been steadily gaining a following over the past few months.”
So, the next time you’re on your travels in the north of Scotland, stop in at our latest partner bar, The Malt Room, to indulge in a few Society drams.
Visit The Malt Room at 34 Church Street, Inverness IV1 1EH
www.themaltroom.co.uk
