The whisky bar on Union Street has marked the momentous occasion by creating its own dram.
An Aberdeen whisky bar has launched its own version of Scotland’s “water of life” after releasing a Scottish whisky to mark its 150th anniversary.
The Grill on Union Street has revealed a limited edition 70 bottles of the exclusive anniversary dram will be available for bar fans to get their hands on. Priced at £70, the 46% ABV whisky comes served in a 70cl bottle.
It was purchased by hospitality operators The McGinty’s Group which also owns The Esslemont, Mac’s pizza bar, The Silver Darling, McGinty’s Meal An’ Ale, No.10 Bar & Restaurant, The Stag, The Fourmile and the Ferryhill House Hotel.
Bottled by Huntly-based whisky firm Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd, the whisky has been created by Miltonduff Distillery in Speyside and has been wrapped in an anniversary-themed label designed by local design agency CP & Co. Aberdeen artist and calligraphy specialist Amy Singer of Amy Singer Art hand numbered each presentation box, too, to full personalise the memorabilia.
Martin Widerlechner, marketing executive of McGinty’s Group, says the bottles are expected to be a popular choice with whisky fans and The Grill customers, with many of them already being secured.
He said: “With their long experience and a great reputation in the whisky world, Duncan Taylor was an easy choice for us to partner with. They offered us multiple different samples and after going through a process of tasting these, we have decided to opt for the Miltonduff 10-year-old single malt. This whisky has a full and well-balanced palate and we hope it will appeal to our punters.
“To reach 150 years in business is an incredible achievement for any company. To be operating for that long, especially in the hospitality industry, is fantastic. Since the McGinty’s Group took over the venue last year, we have really embraced the colourful history of the iconic city centre institution.”
And it’s not just locals who are interested in the limited edition bottlings, fans of the bar across the world have also been purchasing the whisky.
Martin added: “The anniversary whisky was an obvious choice and the cherry on the cake of our anniversary celebrations. Since it was announced, we’ve had enquiries from all across the UK, Australia, USA and as far as Chile.
“We were delighted to be able to involve other local businesses in producing the whisky and with numbers limited to 70, this whisky is a must for any collectors or whisky lovers.”
New addition
Adapting to the current coronavirus pandemic and the changing restrictions put on hospitality businesses across the country by the Scottish Government, Martin said the addition of a marquee at The Grill has been a lifeline for the business and has gone down well with customers old and new.
“It has been a challenging year for everyone and just like all of the other businesses in town, we have had to adapt to the ever-changing working environment,” said Martin.
“The addition of our outside marquee has been well received by our punters and was essentially one of the main reasons why The Grill could remain open this year. ”
The Grill whisky can be purchased in the bar or can also be secured online by private messaging the firm’s Facebook page.