A Whisky Journey with Dario Orsili

Visitors travelling to Scotland find a vast cultural heritage awaiting them, yet few things provide more excitement than delving into the nation’s most beloved export. We talked with Dario Orsili, our Head Bartender, about his own personal journey with whisky and what makes the 100 Princes Street whisky experience so special.

What’s your story with whisky?

I started working as a bartender when I was 22 in Rome, but I was always attracted to whisky and the history behind this amazing liquid. I started to study whisky and the process of making it, and eventually worked towards gaining the status of a Master of Whisky. My love for whisky has brought me all around the world, from Japan to Ireland, and I finally decided to make the move to Scotland five years ago. Since moving to Scotland, I have visited over 40 distilleries and tried more than 1000 whiskies. Prior to joining 100 Princes Street, I worked at The Balmoral in their whisky bar as a whisky ambassador. I am now the sole whisky ambassador at 100 Princes Street, and lucky to be the custodian of nearly 200 whiskies.

What is it that sets Scottish whisky apart from the rest?

Within the age-old debate of who invented whisky, people say the Irish invented it but the Scottish perfected it! There is no other place on earth where whisky can be aged for 83 years (for example, The Macallan). There is a point where the liquid stops being a whisky and becomes liquid history and part of Scottish heritage. Each bottle tells a different story.

How did you conceive the 100 Princes Street’s whisky tasting experience?

When joining 100 Princes Street, this was always something that I wanted to do. Ghillie’s Pantry is the perfect venue for offering an intimate one-to-one experience with the guest. I wanted to have the opportunity to take our guests on a journey around Scotland, telling the story and unearthing the history of our beautiful country through whisky. Whisky is often at the forefront of our guests’ minds when travelling in Scotland and there is something so special about being able to share my knowledge and love for Scottish whisky with every guest who comes through the door.

Does the whisky experience offer something that guests can’t get anywhere else?

There are many different locations around Scotland where people can enjoy whisky. However, what sets us apart is the fact that our collection is exclusive to hotel residents only, with a number of bottles that are limited edition and impossible to find elsewhere. I sit down with a number of guests who have an interest in Scottish whisky but have never found one that they like or simply don’t know what they like. As our experiences are private to the guest who books them, it allows me the opportunity to assist the guest and take the time to find a whisky that they will actually enjoy and matches their preferred flavour profile.

Would you recommend drinking certain whiskies at a particular time of year?

This is a tricky question I would answer by saying yes and no. It’s always a good time of year to enjoy a nice dram. Personally, I prefer something lighter and fruity in the summer and something deep and rich in the winter. In Scotland, we don’t allocate whiskies to seasons but prefer to allocate different whiskies to different times of day. For example, an excellent breakfast whisky to be enjoyed in your porridge is a Glen Grant 12.

Finally, do you have a personal favourite whisky?

As I mentioned, I have been lucky enough to try over 1000 different whiskies, and so it is hard to pick a favourite! However, if I were to take a look at the collection at 100 Princes Street my favourite would have to be Tomatin 36. I don’t know what happened 36 years ago in that distillery, but it was magic. The tasting notes are tropical fruit and a touch of spice that make this whisky so unique in terms of flavour profile.