The Scotch Whisky Experience Tour & Tasting in Edinburgh: Everything You Need to Know

Edinburgh is one of the most popular city destinations in the United Kingdom, with a vast amount of sights, attractions and activities to choose from. As Scotland is home to some of the best whiskies in the world, it’s no surprise that the city offers a variety of tours and tastings dedicated to the national drink. If you’re considering the Scotch Whisky Experience tour and tasting in Edinburgh, it’s worth knowing all the details before you buy a ticket. Read on to find out more!

What Is the Scotch Whisky Experience?

The Scotch Whisky Experience is a tour and tasting which gives visitors an insight into the production and history of Scotland’s whisky. It is ideal for whisky lovers who want to learn more about their favourite tipple. The tour typically takes one hour, explaining at various points the distillation process, types of whisky and legal definitions. One highlight of the experience is the interactive “Whisky Weighing’ demonstration.

Owned and run by Diageo, a multinational drinks company, The Scotch Whisky Experience offers regular tours seven days a week, plus special masterclasses and experiences. Tickets can be booked online or purchased at the venue itself.

Where Is the Scotch Whisky Experience?

The Scotch Whisky Experience is situated in Edinburgh’s Old Town in Castle Hill. This area of the city is famous for its narrow cobbled streets and well-preserved medieval buildings. It’s close to many of the city’s main attractions, such as Edinburgh Castle and The Royal Mile, as well as several good restaurants and bars.

What’s Included in Tickets To The Scotch Whisky Experience?

When you book your tickets to the Scotch Whisky Experience, you will receive entrance to the attraction and join either a self-guided or guided tour. During the tour, you will get to visit four distinct areas – The Whisky Store, Malt Mill Room, Warehouses and Barrel Ride – and learn about its transformation from grain to bottle.

• The Whisky Store
• Malt Mill Room
• Warehouses
• Barrel Ride

Furthermore, tickets include a tutored whisky tasting session; each person will receive five varieties of whisky to try, as well as some accompanying snacks. Alongside these elements, there are also two gift shops on site which offer souvenirs including whisky miniatures, glasses, barware and books.

What Types Of Experiences Are Available At The Scotch Whisky Experience?

There are several experiences to choose from when you visit the Scotch Whisky Experience. These range from a single hour-long tour and tasting to extended masterclasses.

Standard Tour & Tasting

The most accessible experience, this tour lasts one hour and provides an introduction to Scotland’s national drink. You will learn about where whisky comes from and witness warehousing with your own eyes before tasting some of Scotland’s finest malts. This experience costs £14 – £19 per person depending on options.

Silver Tour & Tasting

The Silver Tour & Tasting experience lasts one and a half hours, consisting of an introduction to whisky followed by a tutored whisky tasting session with five varieties. This experience costs around £25 per person.

Gold Tour & Tasting

This two-hour tour includes a tutored whisky tasting session with seven varieties of whisky alongside some accompanying snacks. The Gold level also includes entrance to the ‘Garden of Spirits’, giving guests the opportunity to taste a specially selected ‘tailor-made’ dram chosen by their instructor for that particular course. This experience costs around £40 per person.

Platinum Tour & Tasting

This two and a half-hour experience offers an even more comprehensive tasting session of eight single malts – all of which are hand selected to match guests’ individual tastes. Tickets cost £79 per person.

Single Malt Masterclasses

For even more knowledge about malt whiskies, guests can choose between four different themed masterclasses. These delve into the world of single malts in more depth, exploring how production methods affect flavour profiles and styles, or looking at regional and global differences in tastes that are offered. Prices range from £119 to £179 per person.

My Personal Opinion

I’ve always been fascinated by whisky so I was really looking forward to visiting the Scotch Whisky Experience on my recent trip to Edinburgh. I went on the Gold Tour & Tasting option and it was great! It was the perfect combination of informative and entertaining – there was lots of interesting information included but it wasn’t too bogged down in technical details, which made it suitable for everyone. It was also great value for what you get – £40 isn’t too much to pay for access to the entire experience plus seven tastings! I would definitely recommend The Scotch Whisky Experience tour & tasting as a must-do when visiting Edinburgh.

Book your Scotch Whisky Experience ticket now!