There’s a new spot to shake the snow off your ski boots in Whistler—but just for a short time. The Library by The Macallan, a pop-up cocktail bar at the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler, features The Macallan spirits either in a luxe cocktail or by the dram. The snug spot is only serving until March 31, 2024, so it’s outfitted for après-ski season with a fireplace and warm wood furnishings in a setting that’s more refined than raucous.
The space is cozy and the ambience is warm, but the real draw here are the spirits—even if scotch is not your drink of choice. “We want this place to be a space for everyone. Even if you come in, like ‘love the brand, I don’t like whiskey,’” says Nils Schabert, brand specialist at The Macallan. “We are inviting you to experience the flavours of The Macallan through very unusual cocktails that are not spirit-forward. But they are all about the flavours of The Macallan.”
Those flavours include candied ginger, winter spices, and fruit, which can be found in even the zero-proof cocktail, A Plot Without Proof, that borrows tasting notes from the brand’s scotches and makes it non-alcoholic. For those who imbibe, what sets the cocktail menu apart is the attention to detail and the quality of the spirits. After all, not many bars take bottles in this price range and shake them into a cocktail.
Take the inventive Between Pages cocktail, that makes the 12-year double-cask scotch refreshing—in itself, a form of alchemy. The drink is infused with verjus (the juice of unripe grapes) to add balanced tartness, and a coconut-water Earl Grey–tea reduction. The coconut water in particular, is “something that transforms and transfers the flavour of the scotch,” says Schabert. It’s all rounded out with a slight effervescence and a swirl of gold dust. Even the single rectangular ice cube has been carefully considered.
The final flourish? The cocktail’s deliciously nerdy name that stems from the desire, upon finishing, to experience the drink again—just like a really great book. “In the drink I want to create a very low ABV content, refreshing cocktail. A cocktail you can enjoy again, because it was so delicious.”
That attention to detail goes into every drink on the menu, from the Cloud Atlas with its rosé vermouth–infused foam to the pine-and-chilli-spiked Toasted Tales, a scotch-infused hot chocolate served warm. And of course, purists can find a full menu of The Macallan scotches, including double-cask, sherry-oak, and even limited editions, such as rare cask and the M Collection.
The space, the drinks, the storied hotel setting—it may look effortless, but in reality every aspect has been carefully considered. But leave all that to the experts. All we need to do is put up our ski boots and stay awhile.
The space is small, so book ahead with the hotel’s concierge to guarantee a spot. —Jill Von Sprecken
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