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![\"Cozy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TG-The-Snug-Fireplace.jpg\")
\t\tThe “hidden” five-star sanctuary known as The Snug at the Glasshouse\t<\/p>\n
Whisky Business: City AM\u2019s monthly look at the world of whisky<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the hyper-competitive landscape of Edinburgh\u2019s five-star hospitality sector, buying 100 bottles of Scotch whisky and calling a hotel a \u2018whisky hotel\u2019 no longer cuts it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Investors and guests alike are increasingly seeking a \u201csense of place<\/a>\u201d where customers can enjoy a whisky experience. Across Scotland, the whisky experience market has grown strongly since the pandemic.<\/p>\n While Scotch whisky sales<\/a> and exports have slumped from a high of around 14m casks in 2022 to 8.7m for 2025, Scotland\u2019s 150 operating whisky distilleries welcomed a record 2.7m visitors in 2024, with more than 60 per cent of those guests travelling from overseas and an annual spend of \u00a384m. <\/p>\n As a whole, the sector has invested more than \u00a3300m into whisky tourism in the last decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, some signs are starting to emerge that this headlong rush into distillery experiences isn\u2019t paying off in the way some owners may have liked<\/a>. <\/p>\n Diageo, the world\u2019s largest distiller of Scotch, has recently announced it is closing one of the four visitor centres it expanded in recent years. Visitor numbers at the Clynelish distillery near Brora, Sutherland havn\u2019t lived up to expectations, and it\u2019s been hard to find the staff required to operate the centre, according to the drinks giant. <\/p>\n The company has also halted production at its Roseisle maltings and at the Teaninich distillery in Easter Ross due to falling demand for Scotch whisky. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, Glenmorangie, at Tain in Easter Ross and owned by French luxury goods firm LVMH, has halted production while keeping its visitor centre open, a sign that while some visitor experiences might be under pressure, others are providing producers with much-needed diversification in a tough climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s against this backdrop that The Glasshouse, owned by YTL Hotels, is trying to carve out its niche.\u00a0 Built within the preserved 18th-century facade of the former Lady Glenorchy Church, the property leverages the \u201cmonumental\u201d appeal that modern builds lack. <\/p>\n While the external stone is historic, the commercial engine driving the hotel\u2019s reputation is tucked away inside: a \u201chidden\u201d five-star sanctuary known as The Snug.<\/p>\n Whisky experience\u00a0<\/p>\n In an Edinburgh market saturated with dozens of specialist whisky venues. The Glasshouse has pivoted away from volume and scale to focus on the quality of the whisky experience. And the cornerstone of this is its whisky snug, hidden away in the centre of the hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n This aligns with a broader 2026 travel trend known as the \u201cexperience economy\u201d where visitors seek out meaningful experiences rather than passive consumption (lying on a beach).\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n