At the time it was a new idea for Inverness, but Scotch & Rye is about to mark ten years of bringing a taste of 1920s America to the city.
The Queensgate venue was inspired by the speakeasy-style bars of the Prohibition era in the US, offering craft beers, vintage cocktails and comfort food.
Scotch & Rye opened in July 2015 and has become a destination bar at a site that had changed hands for many years previously.
Bar has Chicago and New York influences
It is one of the key locations operated by Cru Holdings that also runs the Wee Bar, the Whitehouse and Prime restaurant in Inverness, as well as three venues in Nairn and Murray Travel.
Cru founder and CEO Scott Murray says Scotch & Rye was inspired by his travels to the US, specifically Chicago and New York.
“I wanted to create a bar that was aimed more towards spirit-forward drinks and shameless comfort food.
“Our original cocktail bar, Bar One was all about bright, fruity drinks and finger food.
“I wanted a space for those who loved tasting the ingredients in the cocktails.
“I also wanted to showcase world whisky.
“Scotland has a reputation of producing the best single malts in the world, but I wanted to introduce people to some amazing spirits from India, Japan and the US.
Style new to the Highlands
“We were unashamed at not focussing solely on ‘Scotch’ – so much so, it was this that inspired the name.
“In addition, we wanted to introduce the industrial, Prohibition style, which hadn’t been done in the Highlands before.
“We wanted to avoid creating a ‘theme pub’.
“But we wanted the feeling to be one similar to what might have been experienced in the 1920’s Chicago during Prohibition.”
Scott believes this USP (unique selling point) helped Scotch & Rye succeed where other businesses on the same site had difficulty.
“It was especially true as more and more bars were opening.
“We were comfortable that our unique take would be the USP that was needed to make the location a success.”
He says the business goes from strength to strength each year.
In 2023 it was recognised as Scotland’s best independent bar in the Best Bar None awards.
Customers know what they want
The business has thrived during changes to the city centre and to customer habits and demands over the last decade.
“I think people have now got access to much more. And they know what they want and where to get it”, says Scott.
“Good operators work with this and use it as a tool to enhance their offering.
“Think low and no alcoholic drinks, veganism, farm to fork and the like.
“Whatever your own opinions on these subjects, the reality is that they are very much a part of our reality now.
“We always need to ensure that we are catering for everyone, whatever their personal choices.
“By ensuring that we make it our focus means that our business stays relevant and hopefully, successful.
“We never stop crafting the offer and ensuring that what we are doing is still relevant.”
Hospitalty sector ‘under pressure’
However, any growth plans have been put on hold for the time being due to the current environment faced by the hospitality industry.
“Hospitality on the whole is under pressure with the new tax rates, higher business rates, and the highest VAT in Europe.
“Unfortunately we will see smaller and rural businesses close as they aren’t able to be as resilient as the city centre.
“For this reason, we don’t have any growth plans for the moment.
“We want to ensure that our existing businesses and the teams within them are sustained.
“That’s our only vision for the next 12-24 months.”
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