The Scottish Explorer Experience
A new experience has hit Edinburgh, which gives you the opportunity to sample some of the best Scottish produce the city has to offer. Located in Summerhall Distillery, where Edinburgh's Pickering's Gin is made, you'll indulge in a platter of Scottish cured meats, smoked fish, and cheese. All paired with delicious scotch whiskies, gin and beer. All showcasing the best of Scotland.
Meet the Suppliers
Belhaven Smokehouse
Belhaven Smokehouse was a family business for over 46 years, until in 2021 it was entrusted by the family to new owners after their retirement. Now owned and managed by two close, long standing friends who share a passion for quality food and beautiful produce; we are committed to upholding the same values, principles, and quality products on which the business was founded.
They're known for their hot and cold smoked produce. Their cold smoked salmon and trout is dry cured for 24-48 hours using a varying mix of salt, sugar, spices and botanicals, which infuses incredible flavours. During hot smoking the fish is cooked as it's smoked. The art to hot smoking is to perfectly cook the fish to ensure it remains succulent and full of rich smoky flavour.
We are incredibly excited to have Belhaven Smokehouse as one of our suppliers. You can expect to see their hot and cold smoked salmon in our Scottish Explorer Experience, and we're even experimenting with them on a gin cured salmon with Pickering's Original 1947 Gin.
East Coast Cured
East Coast Cured was launched in 2017 by husband and wife, Steven & Susie. A combined love of food & travel gave Susie & Steven a taste for real artisan cured meats. They supply Scottish Charcuteries to farm shops, delis, restaurants, bars & caterers throughout the isles.
They combine the best locally reared, high welfare meats with ingredients carefully sourced and selected for outstanding character and quality. They cut, mix, stuff, ferment, smoke, cure and slow-mature all of their products by hand, at their kitchen and curing rooms on Restalrig Road in Leith.
We can't wait for guests to taste their incredible Scottish Charcuteries in our Scottish Explorer Experience.
I.J. Mellis
Before opening his first shop, partner and founder Iain Mellis had worked in the British cheese industry for almost 15 years. He wanted a traditional, old fashioned sense of service and style whilst using modern technology to maintain and enhance the unique characteristics of artisan cheese.
Today, Mellis Cheese continues the same mission that is started with: to provide a quality product and premium service. Trading for over 30 years, they provide some of the highest quality cheese on the market.
We currently partner with Mellis for our Cheese & Cocktails: A Brunch Masterclass and excited to champion them further in our Scottish Explorer Experience.
Barney's Beer
We're excited to bring on board our neighbours at Summerhall Distillery - Barney's Beer! Using only the best ingredients and traditional techniques and processes, Barney’s Beer has been supplying Edinburgh’s bars, restaurants and bottle shops for over a decade.
Taking inspiration from the creativity of the city and picking up where the original Summerhall Brewey est. 1700s left off, Barney's Beer simply aim to make beers they are proud to share.
Pickering's Gin
If we're showcasing the best of Scotland, we of course had to incorporate our Edinburgh made Gin! Pickering's Gin was the first exclusive gin distillery to be established in Edinburgh for over 150 years. Pickering’s Gin is based on an original Bombay recipe, dating from 17 July 1947. Kept as a family secret for over 66 years, it only resurfaced when we began distilling at Summerhall in Edinburgh.
By the time we launched in 2014 we had fine-tuned the recipe, perfecting its balance of botanicals and tweaking it to the contemporary palate. The result is a spectacularly smooth, refreshing and flavoursome gin. We have since expanded our core range of gins and dabbled in some flavours and liqueurs.
Even to this day our Edinburgh Gin is hand-crafted and hand-bottled in the same distillery that we hand-built. We take pride in our craftsmanship and can't wait for you to taste a proud Scottish Gin.
The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky
In 2022 we launched The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky with our Blended Scotch as our first product. We then introduced our 10-Year-Old Single Malt to our Brood in 2023. We have since been creating our own exclusive blends in the distillery, which you will be able to try on our Scottish Explorer Experience.
If this hasn't tickled your tastebuds then we don't know what will! We're excited to be working with these fantastic Scottish brands to bring you an experience like no other.
