The concept of the weekend is completely lost on Darren Murray.
“People love having weekends off and everything, but I just go ‘what’s a weekend?”, laughs Darren.
Working weekends and nights may sound like a grim prospect to many but to Darren, owner of St Machar, a whisky bar in the heart of Old Aberdeen, it has been during those twilight hours when he’s made friends for life.
“People in hospitality don’t understand weekends or bank holidays,” said Darren, from Aberdeen.
“But as well as the customers, the amount of friends I’ve made just through work has been great.
“People in hospitality go through the same joys and struggles at work together.
“Certain bonds are formed when you work in hospitality together.”
Twist of fate
Not bothered by the late hours, Darren started working in hospitality at the age of 17, learning the tricks of the trade in the café at the old Aberdeen train station before working in hotels and a golf course in Deeside.
In the end, fate led him to St Machar Bar, the salt-of-the earth pub which Darren fell in love with.
“So, I was hired by Philip Adams who owns The Hawthorn in Aberdeen and The Balmoral Bar in Ballater, where I was actually originally hired to become the manager.
“But at the last minute, the manager who was exiting there wanted to stay, so Phil offered me a different position of moving around his three bars until a fixed position came up.
“Then the manager at St Machar ended up handing in her notice which allowed me to slot into the role as the manager there.”
Leap of faith
After just six months, Darren knew he’d found kindred spirits in the customers and staff at the pub so when it was put up for sale, he took a leap of faith.
“The pub was on the market but Phil wasn’t really getting any offers that were interesting to him.
“So, I said to him, ‘if I could, I’d buy the pub off you, but I don’t have that kind of money.”
Acknowledging Darren’s passion and interest in the pub, Phil offered him a lease to buy deal.
“At the end of the contract there’s a set price for us to buy it out, which is what we’re aiming for now,” said Darren.
“I got a bit lucky with it all. Everything happens for a reason.”
1904
Dating back to 1904, Darren is proud to run such a character filled pub brimming with history.
“From what we’ve heard it was a bakery before it was a bar,” said Darren.
“They had a connection with the brewery which was just down the street back then on the university campus.
“There was a lot of shared ingredients like yeast and flour and stuff and they had a good relationship.
“It came to the point where they were selling wines and beers out of here, the former bakery, and it eventually just became a pub.”
Little town in centre of city
Since taking over the High Street watering hole two years ago, Darren has put his heart and soul into making it a pub where the word spirit means so much more than just a drink.
“I think it’s got this weirdly good atmosphere, it’s sort of like a country pub,” said Darren.
“Old Aberdeen is this little town in the centre of the city and it’s like a little village pub that people come into.
“You end up knowing lots of people, it’s not just strangers coming and going.
“If you’re in here for a few hours and you’re friendly, you’re going to make friends who’ll come back next time and buy you a drink.
“There’s a great community feel about it.”
Something for everyone
Whisky is what Darren’s pub is best known for although there’s tipples to suit everyone’s fancy.
“First and foremost, we’re a whisky bar,” said Darren.
“All of our staff are pretty enthusiastic about whisky.
“I know that for me and Pete, our supervisor here at the bar, we absolutely love whisky.
“Pete worked at The Grill for 12 years so he has a real passion for it.”
Darren’s love of whisky grows stronger by the day.
“We want to become a well-known whisky bar,” said Darren.
“We also do a lot of craft beers as well.
“We have a good selection of everything, which means there’s something for everyone.”
Whisky isn’t “snobby”
Darren is also on a mission to dispel the myth that whisky drinking is “snobby”.
“The attitude that me and Pete have, we want whisky to be accessible to everyone.
“It’s not a snobby, aspirational thing that it’s made out to be.
“It should be enjoyed by everyone however they like it.”
With so many varieties of whisky, Darren and Pete are always behind the bar offering advice.
“When new students come in and they see all the selections on the wall, they’re maybe a bit intimidated at first,” said Darren.
“But once they get chatting to me and Pete, they’re like, ‘if these two idiots can enjoy it, I can enjoy it as well!.”
As a glass half full type of guy, Darren is excited about what the future holds.
“We’ll just be continuing to build our reputation as a whisky bar,” said Darren.
“Aberdeen has a couple of great whisky bars like CASC and The Grill which has been here for such a long time.
“If we can get up to the same level as those guys are at, then we’d be pretty happy.”
For more information about St Machar Bar in High Street, check out their Facebook and Instagram.
A round of questions with Darren Murray
What’s the most under-rated drink?
Fruity rums.
If you were a drink, what would you be and why?
A cask strength whisky because it’s full of booze, just as I am.
What is your ultimate pint?
A pint of cider. You can’t beat a good pint of cider.
Most unusual drink you’ve ever tried?
Probably some strange cask whisky that’s been done in a rioja cask. They’re strange to taste.
Worst experience with a drink?
Jägermeister. It’s awful, nobody should drink it. My friends love it and they always buy me it which is terrible!
Any secret tips of the drinks trade?
Just be nice to folk. Any situation can be diffused or made better just by being friendly to people and having a laugh. It’s not a secret, but it’s still something that people struggle with sometimes.
Best food and drink pairing?
Whisky and cheese. Sit down with a nice whisky and a cheeseboard, it’s lovely.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three drinks would be there with you?
Some form of cider, a Glenlivet 12-year-old and a Benromach 2009. I’d either survive or die happy on that island!
Have you ever pinched a pint glass from a pub?
Oh yeah, 100%. There’s a few times I’ve been at work and I’ve thought ‘that’s a nice glass’. You’re sort or allowed when you’re staff.
You have to serve your favourite superhero or celebrity a drink. Who is it and what do you serve them?
Spiderman 100% – I used to cosplay him, it was really sad. I’d have to serve him something red like a strawberry daiquiri.