Here are five amazing gin distilleries you can visit when you are in or around the city for the Edinburgh Festival.
(1a Rutland Place, Edinburgh EH1 2AD)
Picture: Trip Advisor
Although Edinburgh Gin now has two distilling sites in the capital (and a third on the way), it's the original distillery in the city's west end that you'll want to visit to get the full gin experience.
You'll meet Flora and Caledonia, EG's wonderful copper stills and learn how this exciting spirit is made, and should your thirst for knowledge not be sated by their tour then you can use their miniature copper stills and their head distiller’s range of aromatics and botanicals to create your own gin.
(1 Summerhall Summerhall Distillery, Edinburgh EH9 1PL)
Picture: Pickering's
Named Visit Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction in Edinburgh, Lothian and the Borders in 2017, Pickering's Distillery is well equipped to keep any gin fan happy.
The distillery's base, Summerhall, is one of the most popular arts venues in the and one of the most vibrant places in the capital - particularly during the Festival.
Popular with visitors and residents alike, the tiny 400 square feet distillery welcomes groups of 20 people at a time and shows how the gin is distilled, bottled, waxed and dispatched, all on site.
Best of all you can enjoy a gin and tonic in the Royal Dick (Summerhall's resident bar) afterwards.
Or learn more about gin making and cocktails by booking a visit to the excellent Summerhall Drinks Lab.
(32A Old Pentland Road, Lothianburn, Edinburgh EH10 7EA)
We have been working on something very special for everyone! A little look inside the magical workings of The Old Curiosity Distillery.
Thanks to @TotalizeMedia #gin #handcrafted #video #funfact #natural #garden #floral pic.twitter.com/a9WhAhlBkL
— The Secret Garden Distillery (@SecretGardenGin) September 10, 2018
Nestled at the foot of the Pentland Hills on the edge of the capital, The Old Curiosity distillery is probably the most magical setting on this list.
Making it's home in the Secret Herb Garden and sporting its very own botanical garden, visitors can watch the hand-picking and drying of the garden’s flowers and plants through to distilling of the drink itself.
They are also very family friendly, so should you not be wanting to drink, you can take the little ones too.
(2 W Crosscauseway, Edinburgh EH8 9JP)
The moment you see the gantry in 56 North, you’ll understand why it bills itself as ‘Scotland’s original gin bar’.
Not content to offer one of the widest ranges in the capital, they also provide some truly fun masterclasses - pair gin with chocolate, fruits and even cheese - or for that special day out for any gin fan, grab a tour of their very own in-house stills and learn how their exciting SouthLoch spirit is made.
On top of all of this, their staff are some of the most knowledgeable bartenders around so be sure to make use of their skills and try out some of the amazing gin cocktails on offer, before heading out to their secret Scottish gin garden to enjoy them.
(Halflandbarns, North Berwick, EH39 5PW 01620 894 744)
Once upon a time there was a lovely couple, a pressure cooker, a copper pipe and a tub of ice cold water... Why not indulge in a Connoisseur tour and hear the full story. Booking has never been so easy!! Check out our new Website! https://t.co/cpEWiirzsF pic.twitter.com/QS6UDsWgvx
— NB Distillery (@NB_Distillery) August 18, 2018
Ok, so this one is a little further out (North Berwick to be precise), but NB has an awesome little purpose-built distillery and gin school in the heart of some of the best scenery the south east coast has to offer.
Offering a relaxed distillery tour, with plenty of gin and a selection of canapés made by local chefs (include some NB gin infused foods), you'll get to chill in their bespoke lounge complete with log burners and comfortable sofas.
