Local Food & Drinks Pairings
As a small, independent distillery, we know just how important it is to champion local producers, especially in a market brimming with choice. That’s why we’re proud to collaborate with some of Edinburgh’s finest food and drink suppliers to create perfectly paired experiences that celebrate the flavours of our city.
We offer two unique food and drinks pairing experiences with our partners East Coast Cured for charcuterie, I.J Mellis for the best Scottish farm cheese, Barney's Beer for delicious craft beer, and Belhaven Smokehouse for the best cured and smoked salmon on the East Coast.
Cheese & Cocktail: A Pairing Masterclass
Guided by our expert mixologist and cheese enthusiast, you’ll embark on a journey full of flavours that excite the senses and immerse you in the rich local heritage of Edinburgh's Food Scene with both locally crafted spirits and cheese by Mellis Cheesemonger.
- 3 x full-strength gin cocktails
- A platter with six different types of Scottish cheeses accompanied by crackers
Every Saturday at 1pm
Standard ticket - £57.75
Mocktail ticket - £42
2 hours
Meet the Makers
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 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 their products by hand, in their kitchen and curing rooms.
Belhaven Smokehouse
Belhaven Smokehouse was a family business for over 46 years, until 2021, when the family entrusted it to new owners after their retirement.
Their cold-smoked salmon and trout are 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 of hot smoking is to perfectly cook the fish to ensure it remains succulent and full of rich smoky flavour.
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 it 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.
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 Brewery est. 1700s left off, Barney's Beer simply aims to make beers they are proud to share.
Summerhall Distillery
So, this is a bit of a shameless plug, but we are proud to showcase our spirits in our food and drinks pairings.
Summerhall Distillery is home to Pickering's Gin and The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky. Established in 2014, we pride ourselves on creating hand-crafted gin and whisky within our hand-built distillery in the heart of Edinburgh.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Depending on the schedule, some masterclasses may require you to go up a flight of stairs, and, due to the historical nature of our building, there is no alternative way up. You can get in touch with us beforehand to check.
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The recipes are curated in advance by your host to match the pairing profiles of the cheeses. All cocktails are gin-based, except for special themed sessions. Contact us if you would like to know in advance.
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We have a non-alcoholic alternative for the cocktails on the Cheese & Cocktail Pairing, as well as alcohol free beer on the Scottish Explorer.
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We work with farmers to showcase the local artisan food scene. We sadly cannot accommodate lactose-free/vegan requests for the pairings.
If you want to enjoy a session of cocktail making without the food, you can join our cocktail craft masterclass, where all our products are vegan-friendly.
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Under 18s are not allowed on this experience. This includes babies and toddlers.
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Because we are an alcohol producer, we cannot have animals in the distillery. Guide dogs may be permitted in the non-production areas.