Dram lovers have raised their glasses in celebration to mark the Guinness World Record awarded to an iconic hotel in Angus, Scotland.
The Glenesk Hotel has entered the hall of fame in recognition of its incredible whisky bar, now officially boasting “the most varieties of whisky commercially available” anywhere in the world – with a grand total of 1,031 different tipples.
As well as providing a boost to the landmark Victorian hotel, owners Dylan and Alena Wren hope the success will assist in putting Angus and the entire east coast of Scotland on the map as a tourist destination.
As part of a special event, members of staff welcomed dignitaries – including the Rt. Hon the Earl of Dalhousie, DL, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Angus; Bob Myles, leader of Angus Council; and, Liam Kerr MSP – along with suppliers and partner organisations to toast the success and learn more about the hotel’s plans to further develop its offering.
Lord Dalhousie, who presented Dylan Wren with a framed certificate, commented: “As someone who knows the hotel and its staff well, to have achieved a world record is not only a wonderful accomplishment, but it is testament to the hard work and knowledge of everyone involved.
“I am hopeful that this feat will bring a welcome boost in the number of visitors to the village, and the wider region.”
Dylan Wren said: “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude and thank all our staff and supporting partners for their time and effort in helping us achieve this remarkable feat.
“We couldn’t have done this the way we did without the support of Robert Fleming, the distillery director at Glencadam and Tomintoul, who gave up his own time to log all of the collection to satisfy the requirements of the Guinness World Record criteria.”
Husband and wife Dylan and Alena bought The Glenesk Hotel in 2012 and have since overseen a major refurbishment programme; a centrepiece of which was to create a dedicated whisky bar that would house Dylan’s private collection of whisky that has been carefully created and extended over the past six years.
The full range extends to more than 3,000 bottles on display throughout the hotel; however, due to strict guidelines, the world record is specific to only ones available to buy as a nip in the bar. This includes numerous rare bottles and something from every single active distillery in Scotland, from new varieties to a 50-year old bottle of Speyside.
Dylan added: “The whisky collection available here at The Glenesk Hotel preserves and celebrates the local and national heritage, and we are extremely proud to have been recognised with this world record achievement here in Angus.”