Scotland’s whisky month runs throughout May 2024. Fridays & Saturdays, 4pm
Locations: Edinburgh’s Royal Mile & Candlelit Megget’s Cellar
● Enjoy a five-star Edinburgh whisky tour & tasting and discover the history of Edinburgh’s Old Town and its connection with the finest “water of life”
● Indulge in fine malt whiskies and learn how your dram was created
● Explore the lives of whisky blenders, smugglers and others involved in the industry
● Hear of the evolving role that scotch whisky played in Scotland’s past
● 18yrs+ due to service of alcohol
Edinburgh Whisky Tour:
Explore Edinburgh’s Old Town, where the world’s largest Scottish whisky company was founded and a vibrant history of “aqua vitae” (or the “water of life”) began. Hear the stories of those who jump-started whisky production in Edinburgh, including the smugglers, bootleggers and other seedier characters of the Old Town’s underbelly.
They have King James IV of Scotland (commonly referred to as the world’s first famous whisky drinker) to thank for Edinburgh’s monopoly on whisky production in the 15th-century. He believed in the drink’s medicinal properties, which is why the Guild of Surgeon Barbers was originally tasked with manufacturing it.
You’ll also learn of 19th-century Old Town locals like George Ballantine and Andrew Usher Jr; pioneers of homemade whisky, which ended up being exported worldwide.
These are just two of the many fascinating transformations that Scotch whisky has undertaken over the centuries, which you will explore as you wander the streets where these events took place.
Whisky Tasting in Underground Vaults:
The tour continues with a whisky tasting in their candlelit underground Megget’s Cellar. There’s no better way to warm the spirits. You’ll taste four Scottish whiskies, under the guidance of their whisky specialist.
Your expert will cover everything you need to know about the water of life; from how whisky is made to the effects that different elements such as water, barley, peat and the cask have on the production process. Nose and taste your way through the whisky regions, with sample whiskies from Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland distilleries. Just consider this your first step to becoming a whisky connoisseur!
