The iconic Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh has appointed Ross Barr as the new Manager of SCOTCH, its world-class whisky destination.
Barr is returning to his roots after kickstarting his career as a Whisky Ambassador at the hotel at the age of 19. During his early tenure, he travelled extensively across the world to promote the bar to international customers and has hosted hundreds of tastings at SCOTCH. Since then, he has cultivated an impressive career working across some of the biggest names in the industry, including Diageo’s Glenkinchie Distillery and Bevvy Limited. A highlight of his time with Bevvy Ltd was the creation of Hirundine with Scottish rugby stars Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe. Inspired by tradition and innovation alike, his appreciation for digital media has also seen Ross become a well-recognised expert by trade and consumers alike. Outside of SCOTCH, he co-hosts the Whisky Stories podcast alongside Graeme Kilgour and Angus Shepherd. Inspired by their meeting at SCOTCH, the friends came up with the idea for the podcast, which explores individual expressions, distilleries, and features interviews with industry insiders. He is also a regular contributor to Bevvy’s YouTube channel, which boasts over a million global subscribers. Most recently, he featured in a special video series filmed on Islay during Feis Ile.
Ross Barr said, “SCOTCH was the beginning of my whisky career and it is a privilege to return to The Balmoral for a new chapter. I’m excited to lead the brilliant team and share our love for whisky with our visitors, hosting tasting experiences and building on our events calendar.”
Occupying a prime position at 1 Princes Street in the centre of Scotland’s capital, SCOTCH Bar is open daily and also offers a range of tasting experiences and events throughout the year. SCOTCH Bar has over 500 bottles including rare finds like Tomatin 36 Year Old and Bunnahabhain 40 Year Old as well as a history filled collection from Gordon and MacPhail. The bottle collection from award-winning distilleries in the Highlands, Lowlands, Islands, Islay and Speyside are elegantly displayed within the bar’s hand-crafted, oak-panelled whisky cabinet. SCOTCH is a must-visit destination for seasoned collectors and first-time whisky drinkers.
