Best Gin Tours in Edinburgh
The gin scene has proliferated with over 800 UK based gin distilleries, and 10 years ago there were only 190. Although they are predominately in England, Scotland currently has over 90 gin distilleries.
When you have a lot of distilleries you tend to have a lot of gin tours, and it can be hard to choose which one to visit. Which is why we've compiled a list of the best gin tours Edinburgh has to offer!
1. Pickering's Gin Jolly
I mean it was inevitable that our gin distillery tour was going to make the list, but for good reason, we marked a pivotal moment in Edinburgh gin history. When we first established Summerhall Distillery (the home of Pickering's Gin), we were the first exclusive gin distillery in over 150 years!
Our bread and butter is gin, we've been making it for over a decade and in quite a quirky venue. Summerhall used to be The Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies. We took the old animal kennels room and hand-built our distillery from scratch.
In our signature gin distillery tour you'll learn about the wonderful history of Pickering's Gin, how we make our award-winning gin, see the production of gin, and explore our quirky workshop filled with Ginventions, all while sampling delicious tipples.
Dates: Wednesday - Sunday year round
Duration: 1 hour
Price: £25 (non drinking tickets available from £16)
Included: Gin and tonic, 4 samples of gin, 1 x 5cl miniature bottle to take home
2. Edinburgh Gin Classic Tour & Tasting
Image Credit: Edinburgh Gin
Edinburgh Gin have recently opened a new visitor centre at the Arches in Edinburgh. They run a classic tour and tasting where they delve into the history of gin and how Edinburgh Gin came to be. You'll learn about the botanicals they've carefully chosen, see examples of the stills they use for production and the process of gin making.
At the end of the tour you'll sample some of their acclaimed expressions with carefully selected mixers and garnishes. You'll also have the option to visit their Distillery Bar and enjoy a tipple after the tour!
Dates: Every day year round
Duration: 65 minutes
Price: £28
Included: Welcome drink and tastings of London Dry, Full Strength Flavour and Liqueur.
3. Secret Garden Distillery: The Discovery Experience
Image Credit: Secret Garden Distillery
Secret Garden Distillery is on the outskirts of Edinburgh near Hillend but they offer a unique gin tour where you can follow the journey of "seed to sip" as they grow their own botanicals in their glasshouse. You'll see and smell Elderflower, Lemon Verbena, and Grapes, as well as explore their Rose Garden and Juniper Forest.
You'll learn how these botanicals are used in their distillation process and hear about their commitment to the environment and sustainability.
Dates: Most Fridays and Saturday (check their website for up to date availability)
Duration: 75 minutes
Price: £26.75
Included: Samples of 4 gins
4. Lind & Lime Tour
Image Credit: Lind & Lime Distillery
Lind and Lime are a newer edition to the gin scene and have taken it by storm. In their tour you'll learn the origins of their gin, fill, bottle and label your own miniature, enjoy a cocktail whilst hearing more gin stories.
Lind and Lime Gin is produced by Port of Leith Distillery and it doesn't mention a tour of a working distillery in this experience. So, we would recommend getting in touch to see if the tour includes any elements of a distillery.
Dates: Thursday - Sunday year round
Duration: 75 minutes
Price: £30
Included: Gin and tonic, one cocktail, and 5cl miniature to take home
5. Holyrood Gin Tasting Experience
Image Credit: Holyrood Distillery
You may associate Holyrood Distillery with whisky but they product their own gin called Height of Arrows. In this experience you'll learn about the modern world of gin production, hear the story behind Height of Arrows, learn about the gin making process and their innovative techniques for flavouring.
Dates: Once a month
Duration: 75 minutes
Price: £30
Included: Two cocktails and 4 samples of gin
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