Description

Embark on a sensory journey through the world of Scottish whisky, right in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. This tour explores the city where the world’s largest Scottish whisky industry was founded and where the vibrant history of aqua vitae or “the water of life” began. You will hear stories of those who kick-started whisky production in Edinburgh, including smugglers, bootleggers and other colourful characters from the city’s underbelly.

King James IV of Scotland, often considered the world’s first famous whisky drinker, played a key role in Edinburgh’s monopoly on whisky production in the fifteenth century. He believed in the drink’s medicinal properties, which is why the Guild of Surgeon Barbers was originally tasked with manufacturing it. You will also learn about nineteenth-century locals such as George Ballantine and Andrew Usher Junior, pioneers of homemade whisky that was eventually exported worldwide.

These are just a few of the fascinating transformations that Scotch whisky has undergone over the centuries, all explored as you wander the wynds and closes where these real-life events took place.

The tour continues with an exclusive whisky tasting in a candlelit underground cellar. Here, you will hear captivating tales, breathe in the rich aromas and savour a single malt tasting in the atmospheric vaults. Under the guidance of a whisky specialist, you will taste four Scottish whiskies and learn everything you need to know about the water of life, from how whisky is made to the effects of water, barley, peat and the cask on the production process. Sample whiskies from Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland distilleries, and consider this your first step towards becoming a whisky connoisseur.