Whether you consider yourself scotch-curious or a seasoned connoisseur, the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale is excited to invite everyone to experience the highly anticipated grand reopening of its Scotch Library next weekend.
After an extended pandemic pause, the Westin Kierland team is excited to bring back the swanky lounge boasting more than 300 bottles of scotch whiskey. Just in time for the Scotch Library’s ninth anniversary, the resort is celebrating by hosting two intimate events for scotch enthusiasts.
On Friday, November 11 from 6 to 9 p.m., the Scotch Library will once again come to life for a cocktail reception and guided tasting featuring expressions from The Dalmore Scotch Distillery’s Principal Collection, plus an unveiling of the Scottish distillery’s newest bottle to the Library Collection. On Saturday, November 12 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., the Principal Collection will be the centerpiece of a four-course pairing dinner curated by the resort’s executive chef Chris Masco.
The partnership came about through an opportunity to obtain one of The Dalmore’s newest releases and most rare bottles, according to Westin Kierland’s director of food and beverage Mike Tueros. “That was the impetus for me to then contact them through my suppliers to inquire of availability, as the bottle would be a fantastic centerpiece for us to make a big splash back into the market,” he recalls.
Tueros explains that the Scotch Library started out as a regular library near the resort’s main lobby, but instead of books, its large wooden shelves are now lined with hundreds of rare bottles of scotch whiskey.
“We have just over 300 total bottles representing the six different regions where scotch is produced in Scotland,” he says. “It really has become something for us that we’re known for. Aficionados love the space, love that they can get products with us that they can’t get anywhere else.”
Beyond boasting one of the most impressive collections of scotch in the country, the Westin Kierland is proud to employ one of the world’s most esteemed experts in the field of scotch, Master of Scotch Guy Spobert.
Spobert started as a bartender with a particular penchant for scotch, Tueros says. “When the library opened, he volunteered to take a position as one of our original founding fathers, if you will, of scotch ambassadors,” he adds. “In his role, the idea was to be able to communicate to our guests not only what we have in the library, what makes it unique and what the differences are from the different regions in Scotland, but to curate an experience, to educate, to entertain and to teach our guests what makes scotch special.”
Spobert was so passionate about scotch that he took it upon himself to accumulate an array of certifications. Most recently, he took many months to prepare for a rigorous exam executed by The Council of Whiskey Masters in the Scottish Highlands to become a certified Master of Scotch. “He would tell you it was two of the most stressful days of his entire life that included not only written exams, but oral exams administered by some of the world’s most renowned experts and scholars in the field of scotch,” Tueros explains. “He had to do blind taste tests to then tell the curators of this exam what scotch he was tasting, the distillery, the flavor profiles and where it was from.”
Ultimately, Spobert was one of only four in the world to pass this particular exam session and receive the prestigious title.
“What also makes Guy so special is he’s very humble and he’s the last one to take any claim to anything,” says Karen Cahn, the Westin Kierland’s director of marketing and PR. “When you attend the Scotch Library tasting experience, regardless of what level of knowledge you have about scotch, it doesn’t really matter because he has this way of putting you at ease right away and going from the basics and taking you through this journey of scotch.”
Tueros adds that beverage tasting is a subjective experience, but it becomes a more dynamic and engaging situation when you have a knowledgeable and unpretentious expert walking you through the process.
“It should be a really special and exclusive experience,” Tueros says.
For more information, visit phxwsinfo.com/scotch-library-grand-reopening.
