“The Quaich” whisky bar re-opens at the Craigellachie Hotel

The long awaited reopening date of the Quaich bar at the Craigellachie Hotel will be on Friday 7thNovember.  The opening of The Quaich sees the completion of the renovation and restoration of the 28 bedroom hotel which started in January this year.

As with the rest of the hotel The Quaich has been redesigned with a sensitive approach and a strong nod towards the local heritage and businesses of Moray.   Part of the renovation works included installing a direct replica of the original balcony from when the hotel was built in the 1800s, which will allow guests at the Quaich to take full advantage of the views to the River Spey and Easterelchies Wood.

The Quaich has a long and coveted history, Piers Adam, the owner of The Craigellachie explained, “There are years of history behind The Quaich including the world famous malt whisky club of the same name and a reputation for having over 750 bottles of single malt whisky on its shelves. We wanted to create a comfortable but elegant bar where our customers can sit on the balcony and enjoy the view in the summer or on a winters’ day sit by the open fire while enjoying a dram with friends.”

When you enter newly renovated Quaich there is a strong sense of tradition throughout.   Piers worked hand in hand with the design and build team at Perthshire-based Thomson Projects.   Thomson Projects, who are a member of the Guild of Master Craftsman, designed and handcrafted the room which is lined with up-lit, bespoke cabinets and panelling made from whisky vat timbers reclaimed from a Diageo Bond House.

For the design of the bar, inspiration was taken from materials traditionally used to make quaichs and has been built using wood and silver.    The bar has been handcrafted by Thomson Projects, using local craftsmen.  It is made from oak and features a silver band measuring 16ft in length designed by renowned jewellery designer Stephen Webster.  Due to the scale, for practical and aesthetic reasons the silver band consists of five connected panels, each separated by a pyramid stud of silver, detailed with The Quaich logo, a modern take on a celtic love knot.  Each of the panels carries a hand engraved legend associated with the quaich such as; loving cup, friendship cup.   The silver band has been hand made by Edinburgh Jeweller and Silver Smith, Hamilton and Inches, with each section carrying the hallmarks of Hamilton and Inches and the Edinburgh Assay Office.

Along with the stunning whisky display cabinets and the bar, there has been a huge focus on luxurious traditional comfort, which is why Piers choose to commission iconic furniture maker Soane Britain to work on the interior design and furnishings within the bar.   Soane work with a handpicked selection of British craftsman and worked with 19 traditional workshops across Britain to build The Quaich furniture, once again showing the strong commitment to working with British partners throughout the build and design of the room.

The heritage of The Quaich was based around the selection and quality of whisky on offer and with the new bar this continues.   The building of the whisky collection has been overseen by whisky experts and writers Dave Broom and Charlie Maclean and on opening the bar will stock approximately 1000 bottles of malt whisky and contains rare and sought after collections such as a complete set of the Glenfarclas Family Cask. With the help of Quaich whisky suppliers Andrew Torrance from the Whisky Shop and Gordon & Macphail, the list will continue to increase throughout the first year of opening with a focus on the quality of whisky rather than the quantity.   

Food will also be on offer with a menu which has been developed with food writer Tom Parker Bowles and The Craigellachie Executive Chef Chris Molloy.  This will include a “Pairing Menu” where local food is paired with suggested whiskies and the flavour of both are enhanced.

For guests wishing a more formal option to eat at the Quaich there is the adjoining Quaich Banqueting Room for parties of up to 30.    This room continues the flow of luxurious comfort from The Quaich with a dramatic commissioned handmade wall paper from Soane and an 18 seat banqueting table handcrafted from oak by local craftsmen.  Guests in the banqueting room can enjoy The Quaich Banqueting Menu which starts at £40 per person.

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Release Date 6th November 2014

Journalist Notes

• The Quaich is due to open to the public on Friday 7th November.
• Thomson Projects are the commercial build side of THCL (Thomson Homes Construction Ltd).   Thomson Projects carried out the rennovation work of The Craigellachie Hotel, including the Copper Dog basement bar.   They are a memeber of The Guild of Master Craftsmen.
• Stephen Webster MBE is one of the most prominent jewellery designers of his generation.   Stephen Webster's eponymous brand is built on a foundation of technical excellence founded at the bench in London's renowned Hatton Garden where he carried out his apprenticeship at the age of 16. This strong British heritage of traditional gold-smithing has provided Webster with the skills and artistry to execute his distinct vision.
• Hamilton & Inches, founded in 1866, is renowned as one of the United Kingdom's leading luxury goods companies.  They maintain their own silver workshops and hold a royal warrant, as silversmiths to HM The Queen.  Hamilton & Inches specialise in producing handmade pieces using time-honoured techniques.
• Soane Britain was established in 1997 making outstanding furniture, lighting, upholstery and interior necessities bringing together contemporary, antique and 20th century design with the best of British craftsmanship.

Morag Thomson

Tel 07980 922878

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