PARTNER BAR
Hotel Bristol, Salzburg, Austria
The SMWS is always delighted to shine a light on new experiences we have to offer, and there’s no exception for our latest Austrian partner bar, Hotel Bristol. Based in Salzburg, this refined venue is hoping to entice guests through the door to its Sketch Bar, with a distinctive selection of Society malts. Jutta Unterguggenberger, SMWS country manager and ambassador for Austria, chatted with general manager Christian Lackner about what the new partnership means to him and the hotel
Jutta: What is the concept for the Sketch Bar at Hotel Bristol?
Christian: The bar has grown and changed over the years and there was a time where it once consisted of only one counter. The area next to the bar was a commercial space for merchants who had their stores in the arcade. After some time there were fewer and fewer tenants for those spaces, so we eventually took the spaces back. That was during my mother’s time, so it was around 2005 that this area then became part of the bar. We broke through walls and made renovations with a big impact on the overall look. We also created an additional entrance so that guests didn’t have to go through the hotel foyer.
Jutta: Where does your passion for whisky come from?
Christian: Like so many people, it started when I was a teenager and I first started drinking alcohol. That was in the late 1970s, when whisky was one of the drinks for young men, although at that time it was almost only blended whisky. Nevertheless, there was some Scotch, but we only drank the common whiskies like Johnnie Walker Black, Red Label or Chivas Regal. Also, in the special shops you very rarely got single malt, but more often fancy bourbon or blends. In the 70s, this culture was not very well developed in Austria and for a long time, the only single malt you got was Glenfiddich.
In my 20s, I developed my taste for whisky through a vacation to Scotland. I went on the Malt Whisky Trail and remembered seeing how incredibly picturesque the production sites were, blended into the landscape. I visited lots of small distilleries, many of which have been mothballed, but some are now active again like Tamdhu.
Jutta: Tell me about the design of the bar.
Christian: It’s very classically decorated, as is the hotel. With the colours, some say it’s very traditional, some others say it’s old-fashioned, but it’s all down to the charm of the hotel. We try to keep all this fresh, of course, and sometimes we add new colour accents. Every now and then, a refreshment is necessary, but the basic idea is to maintain the club atmosphere. Not really like an American bar, where there is a lot of activity on the sides. It should rather have the atmosphere of an English club.
Jutta: What can you tell me about the whisky collection at the bar?
Christian: Until the arrival of the SMWS, our bottlings were just the classic bar range including Scottish classics, bourbon and Irish whiskey. But now with the SMWS, I want to explore all the possibilities. We want to offer extraordinary things to people to open infinite horizons in smell and taste. If you want surprises and something individual, you are on the right path with Society whisky. With SMWS malts we can work out a lot of individuality and special features, much more than with the standard whiskies.
Jutta: How many SMWS bottlings do you have at one time?
Christian: We started with eight bottlings and will definitely expand on this. It depends on space, and we don’t want to overwhelm the guests either. So, the plan is to keep switching and mixing it up. Of course, we hope that our guests will always be open to new things.
Jutta: What does it mean to you to be an SMWS partner bar?
Christian: It feels like we are a distinction, because the SMWS are very selective and conscious of their business partners. For me personally, it means that I can pass on and share my passion and of course it gives us a special position among the bars in Salzburg that we hope will encourage locals to come to our bar. If word gets out that we have a very special product, that should hopefully bring in new guests.
Jutta: What reactions do you get to the SMWS bottlings?
Christian: We get very good reactions. There is a steady and growing number of curious whisky lovers who have discovered the SMWS and want to try new things.
Jutta: What would your final word be on what makes Sketch Bar a special place for whisky lovers?
Christian: I would say it’s the partnership with the SMWS. We were very classically set up before that, but the SMWS will give us so many new opportunities, and it’s great to get people talking if you want to gain a good reputation.
Visit https://www.bristol-salzburg.at/en/cuisine/sketch-bar-lounge.html for more information
