Following its opening in in the village of Braemar in May 2021, Bertie’s – The Fife Arms’ dedicated whisky bar – has announced its new Manager, Mark Shedden, and Whisky Ambassador, Katy Fennema.

As whisky takes centre stage at the hotel, through Bertie’s Whisky Bar and its soon-to-launch own blended malt whisky, The Fife Arms Braemar Whisky, the pair will play an integral part in bringing whisky experiences to life.

A born and bred Scotsman, Shedden joins Bertie’s with a wide range of food and beverage experience having held various operational and management positions in luxury resorts, hotels and restaurants. Whisky has always been a passion of his and central to his career whether this has been through tastings, pairings, or larger seminars.

In his role as Manager, Shedden will be an ever-present figure leading the helm of the bar, ensuring the highest standard of service and all-round guest experience, as well as managing team training and development.

Whisky enthusiast and Braemar resident, Katy Fennema, has run whisky tastings and tours for many years through her own guiding business, Braemar Highland Experience. Having worked as a consultant for Edinburgh Whisky Academy, Fennema is passionate about the history of whisky and sharing the deep-rooted connections of whisky in the Scottish Highlands.

As Whisky Ambassador, Fennema will work closely with Shedden bringing her knowledge and expertise of whisky to Fife Arms guests and supporting the team with weekly group tastings, exploring and sampling the range of whiskies in the collection at Bertie’s.

Together, Shedden and Fennema will play an instrumental role in creating whisky experiences, guiding guests through Bertie’s collection of 365 fine and rare whiskies, hosting regular tastings, training the team and enhancing the immersive whisky offering at The Fife Arms.