Highly recommend. If you are a Scotch/Whiskey enjoyer, you definitely should check this tour out. Recently me and my friends went and luckily because we rented an air bnb close by, we were able to walk to it. But just fyi when we went, the street that it is on was closed off for the public to walk. So just keep that in mind when thinking about parking. Highlights of the tour were some of the art and presentations they have on the history and making of Scotch. I also really enjoyed how they gave you a sheet that shows examples of some common tasting notes you can expect from each region. I learned that Islay Whiskey was my favorite region to sip from just because of how smoky their Whiskey can be. I had a great time. After the tour they give you an example of each region so you can compare and contrast. On top of everything, the people working there were very enthusiastic and friendly. If we ever came back to Edinburgh I might even want to go again just because of the fun experience. read more

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Great experience learning about Scotch. We had a great guide and got to taste some good whiskey. read more

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Sipping our way thru Scotland! We loved the tour featuring over 3,300 bottles, of the largest private scotch collection in the world! Select a dram of your favorite scotch by region and flavor profile to enjoy while perusing the bottles and grab a bite to eat afterwards at the award winning Amber Restaurant. I learned my favorite scotch/flavor profile comes from the Speyside region! Located on the Royal Mile, this is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Edinburgh! read more

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We signed up for the "Taste of Scotland" package here.  This very fun experience was centered around a 3 course tasting dinner paired with a couple of Scottish whiskies, both of which were described in detail for us by whisky connoisseurs.  We also were given a choice for a third non-whisky drink and I had a local Scottish ale for that drink.  Before entering the Amber restaurant for this dinner, we were able to meander about the very impressive and classy Scotch whisky gift shop, and that was real mouth-watering eye candy for any Scotch whisky drinker.  Like craft beer, there's an almost infinite variety of Scotch whiskies, and you'll never get to try most of them, and alas, all you can do is make a little dent during your lifetime! As far as the food, the 1st course was a trio medley of duck, trout, and vegetarian haggis.  I never really liked haggis, but this vegetarian version was pretty good I must say.  The 2nd course was a trio medley of venison, chicken, and hake filet.  The dessert course was a sticky toffee pudding.  The beer I had was a nice Stewart's Holyrood Scottish pale ale.  The 1st whisky was a delectable Auchentochan Lowland 12 year old single malt to start our dinner.  The 2nd whisky was a delectable Edradour Highland 10 year old single malt which went with the pudding dessert.  The meal was fun and delicious, and the whole outing here was a wonderful 5 star experience, and particularly so if you're a whisky drinker. read more

We selected the gold package. It included a detailed took, a chance to check out the largest collection of whisky on the planet, and several tastings. I've been on several distillery tours and have heard the background on whisky making several times, but still appreciated the tour. They worked to deliver it in a fun, unique manner. The tasting provided samples from each of the five regions of Scotland. The pours were generous, so you actual got a feel for each. You'll also leave with your tasting glass. You can buy tickets in advance or just try your luck with walk-ins. We walked-in with a few minutes to spare - basically the best way imo. For us, just seeing the collection made the experience a must-do. If you are not a whisky fan, it might still be of interest. If whisky is not at all your thing, well why not? read more

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Even if you're not the biggest whiskey fan, I bet you'd enjoy this experience. I know that was the case for my family. It's my spirit of choice so they definitely did this for me, but ended up having a lot of fun in the process. The projections are pretty cool, and they break down some facts in a simple way that makes it easy to learn the basics about production, thus hopefully appreciating what's in your glass a bit more. I loved seeing the huge collection of bottles; that was incredibly impressive. We only signed up for a single sample but even that comes with a gift glass to take home as a nice souvenir. Super low-impact which makes it a perfect activity when you're worn out from walking all day, not to mention very accessible in general. read more

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There are a few whisky experiences available in Edinburgh (and I've tried them...) but hands down I loved this one the most! And a big Slàinte Mhath to this gem of an experience!!! I did the gold experience which game with several amazing tastings. The experience is the right blend of technology, history and also gives a personal touch that makes you feel right at home. I learned all about what makes whisky different by region and even figured out what I liked personally! (lowland region apparently!). I thoroughly enjoyed the different types of whiskies as well, several of which I'd never heard of but now are a part of my list! Also you're going to be amazed at their private collection of over 3,000 bottles of whisky from all over the world which is featured on this tour. Cobin was the best! Super knowledgeable and presents everything in such an engaging way, I left feeling super educated and more excited about whisky! read more

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As far as immersive experiences go, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Once I realized there would be choreographed presentations with pre-recorded audio and a tour guide meant to interact with it, I was worried it would turn into one of those cringe-worthy performances with bad timing and worse acting. I couldn't have been more wrong. Our guide was friendly, impressively knowledgeable, and had impeccable timing; you can really tell they put in the time to get it right. As for the experience itself, you're taken through several rooms with the widest screens I've ever seen which display the most gorgeous images to go along with the tour guides explanation of the history and production of whiskey - which is more fascinating than you might realize. You're given a few take-home goodies to help you remember the flavour and scent profiles for the next time you're at a bar and don't remember which whiskey you prefer. You also get to keep your glass from the whiskey tasting you get to do at the end of the presentation; you only get to choose one type of whiskey, though, so don't expect a whiskey flight. If you DO want to keep drinking and don't feel like walking the short distance away to the local pubs, you could opt to try a few more types of whiskey in the bar they have here for just such an occasion - for a fee, of course. And, if after all this, you still haven't had enough, there is a gift shop with everything from whiskey chocolates, whisky hot sauces, whiskey lip balm, and all other whiskey paraphernalia you could possibly ask for. This is alcoholism at its finest. read more

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This place is only a 2-minute walk or so from the Edinburgh Castle. Fearing it might be super touristy I almost didn't do this, but I am so glad that I ended up deciding to do it. Is this a bit touristy, yes? But touristy in such an excellent way. I did the Gold Tour by myself , and had such an enjoyable time. (the wife decided to go thrift shopping instead of taking this tour). Everyone taking the tour was really friendly, and this aspect really shined as the silver portion of the tour came to an end and the gold ticket holders got a more intimate tasting at the end. If you enjoy whiskey, I'd highly recommend their Gold Tour. FYI: lots of people left their free/included Glen Cairn whiskey glass there....so I ended up taking two of them home with me (to compliment the two that I already owned prior to my trip). read more

Went on the Gold tour one afternoon and had such an excellent experience! Adien was our guide and very knowledge and has a passion for whisky. The interactive experience keeps your attention and you're bound to learn something. Came with 5 tastings. Great way to get the Scottish experience. read more

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I did the Scotch Whisky Experience with Robyn as my guide, and she was absolutely brilliant. She knows so much about whisky, and every time someone asked a question, she had a detailed, genuinely interesting answer ready to go. You can tell she's really passionate about what she does, and it made the whole tour feel fun, engaging, and super easy to enjoy. Honestly, one of the best tours I've ever been on. If you get Robyn, you're in for a treat! read more

Did a gold tour and this experience was so well thought out. They went through history and the different rooms were so creative. It seriously is a must see! We got to try 5 different Scottish whiskeys and each one was unique. Definitely a must try in Edinburgh read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

We signed up for the gold tour with our guide named Robin. She was funny, engaging, knowledgeable and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend this tour to anyone as you get to sample a few different types, get to keep your glencairn and get a 10% discount at the store which ultimately, my husband got use. Highly recommend! read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

We had some time to kill because I'm an idiot and didn't realize that tickets to the castle would sell out days in advance so we decided to come in and check out The Scotch Whisky Experience. I had this place marked as a potential activity but honestly, it was really low on the totem pole. However, since it is literally next door to the castle and we had time, I figured, why not? We booked about 30 min before our scheduled tour and made it with a lot of time to spare. The tour itself is actually quite fun and less eye roll-y than I thought it was going to be. I mean don't get me wrong, my notes that says "tourist trap with a good gift shop" are correct but the experience was fun and light hearted and exactly what we needed for the day. We chose the gold tour because we are triers. We love to try things and I've never tried a whisky I like to drink straight so we wanted the tour with more tastings. To be honest, I may have been a bit wasteful because I couldn't finish any of the sample drams we were given and at this point I was still sure I didn't like straight whisky. I will say that the value for the money is good. A few extra bucks to have a straight 4 whisky tasting was good in my books. I'd actually recommend coming in and I have no regrets about doing so myself. read more

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Great food and clean restrooms We had there soup with bread and it was spectacular The restaurant is below level and part of the Edinburgh Castle read more

Well, made reservations for dinner. Ordered a flight of whiskey. Waiter discussed dinner options.. we ordered appetizers and he never came back. Finally walked up to him and he said kitchen was closed. Funny thing is the manager blamed us for ordering appetizers and not the rest of the food. We literally had talked to the waiter about the menu for a god bit. Manager came with credit card device to "Pay and Get out". I've never had a more ridiculously stupid experience ". read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Don't go here. - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

We recently visited Edinburgh and wanted an authentic scotch tasting experience that wasn't branded, this was the perfect fit. It was such a fun experience! We did the "A Taste of Scotland" experience, that included a variety of whisky to taste and a tasting menu at the Amber Restaurant. Once our time selection was called we headed upstairs to a tasting room. From the moment I walked in, I could smell the warm and inviting aroma of the scotch, and I knew I was in for a treat. We enjoyed our presentation learning about all Scottish whisky along with a tasting of two whiskies and some chocolate. After, we were whisked away to the the largest whisky collection to sample more, then finally to another bar area for our final tour tasting. The experience was very informative and interesting. After, we went down the Amber Restaurant to enjoy a taste of Scotland. We enjoyed EVERYTHING we ate, three starters, three mains, and some DELICIOUS sticky toffee pudding for dessert paired with another whisky. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting Edinburgh. read more

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We stayed here for 3 nights on our first trip to Edinburgh and were delighted on how nice the hotel was overall. I would say that this is what all Courtyard hotels should strive to be like. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful and the look and feel of the hotel felt very nice overall. The rooms are well insulated from the street noise which can get pretty loud as it located in a Main Street. The location is really. Ice as there are multiple places to eat and a shopping mall within a five minute walk and you are about ten minutes walk to Princess street and the royal mile, very convenient! We rented a car which can be a bit confusing if you have never been here before as there is nowhere set aside for hotel check in. You essentially pull over and put on your hazards in front of the hotel. The hotel itself does not offer parking but they have agreements with local parking garage right up the street and offer a 44% discount for hotel guests. We parked for 3 nights and it was 44 GBP. One cautionary tip, there is a small bike lane between the sidewalk and the road, be mindful as the bike lanes seemed pretty busy while we were there and you could easily find yourself in an accident if you are not careful. Highly recommend this hotel and we will stay here again when visiting Edinburgh. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

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An obvious tourist trap, but it was actually pretty cool! This experience clearly exists because it's in the heart of Edinburgh with lots of foot traffic and tourists who don't want to venture into the countryside to visit a real whiskey-maker, but still want to get a taste of scotch. If one were to have a choice between here and an actual distillery rich with history, I think the latter is the best decision, but for those people who really don't care, there is The Scotch Whisky Experience. The coolest things about this joint are the massive scotch collection and the gift shop which sells cute mini bottles to super high end scotch, older than you. I do indeed recommend this fun tourist trap for anyone who appreciates good whiskey. read more

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Really fun tour and put together quite well. Our guide was knowledgeable and personable. They walk you through how whiskey is made, different regions of Scotland, and you even get to see a marvelous whiskey collection before you move on to your tasting. We did the gold tour. Minus one star because we didn't quite enjoy the 5 whiskeys we got to try, and it appeared that was the consensus for most the people around us. Not sure if it's the style of whiskey, as we typically do enjoy whiskey. I didn't notice anyone finish all of theirs. Besides that, was a fun time. read more

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Previous me wrote, "I don't care how touristy this is, I love it. So much. It's the perfect amount of kitsch and charm and education." And it still is, but things have changed over the years. I've done The Gold Tour a few times now. In its current iteration, small groups are hosted by a guide who initially walks you into a cinema room with an enormous screen that's 180°; it offers a stunning, visually immersive video of the five regions (Highland, Speyside, Lowland, Islay, and Campbeltown) while the guide talks you through aromas and flavor profiles of each. From there you're given scratch and sniff cards, and are walked into an intimate, low-lit tasting room where you can sample something from any one of the aforementioned regions (TIP: since there aren't that many Campbeltown distilleries, try whichever one that is because you won't be able to during your flight later on). You're then walked into the World's Largest Whisky Collection - a room with a lot of history that glows soft gold and yellow - where you get another sample and your collectible glass. Finally, if you've signed up for The Gold Tour, you are deposited into the bar area for your flight of four single malt whiskies. In the past you could sit wherever you wanted and didn't have to stick to a designated table with the people you just did the tour with (...maybe you made friends and are happy to share another drink with them!; every tour I've done, though, has had a know-it-all American [who actually didn't know much], and recently I was unlucky enough to have a swarm of loud children accompany us too). So: what's the difference between this and just visiting a distillery? At The Scotch Whisky Experience you're getting a look into the whole history of whisky across all of Scotland and the opportunity to try something from every region; on a distillery tour you're getting the history of that specific distillery and will try specifically what that distiller makes. Do both if you've got the opportunity (or are a fan of a specific brand)! Finally, heads-up: the gift shop at the end can be chaotic since it's free and open to the public. My advice? Take your time looking through everything at the nip wall; you'll find a lot of things you can't get (at least) stateside (that is). read more

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Such an amazing exhibit! If you don't know much about whiskey like my wife and I do, then this is a magnificent learning experience! We learned how it's made from the ingredients to the distilling to the aging, and all the time felt immersed in the experience thanks to our guide Daniel. And the best part: a tasting at the end of the whole thing! Daniel was very friendly and responsive, and answered our questions and even gave us an extra celebration pour since it was our anniversary! This place was 10/10 thanks to all the care put into it. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Daniel, our guide! - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

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Is it touristy? Yes. Does it make it any less fun? No. If you're in Edinburgh I'd say you have to do this at least once. The Scotch Whisky experience starts off in a barrel ride that will remind you of a ride at Disneyland and as a person who grew up with an annual pass to Disneyland, I liked every moment of it. I've visited a few whisky distilleries in my time and were they anything like this experience? Not quite. The Scotch Whisky experience did provide a nice overview of Scotland and it's whisky regions. I was going for Afternoon Tea immediately following my tasting and opted for the single tasting, which was plenty for me, a few more and it'd be a whole different Candace showing up to Tea. I met a few girls in Dublin who live here and recommended the Johnnie Walker scotch experience. I didn't make it there but heard many people raving about it while on this tour, so if you've found yourself to this review I will say - try Johnnie Walker on Princes. Back to this experience. The absolute 5 STAR highlight of the tour is the largest whisky collection in the world. Walking through it and viewing it was jaw dropping. As a whisky drinker I was completely astounded. I have never in my lifetime seen anything that even comes close to this collection. To be in the rooms with in, while sipping whisky is something that will probably only happen once in my lifetime, or twice when I bring a friend to experience it ;) but totally worth the ticket. If you enjoy whisky and going to distilleries, I'll admit this will not be like those experiences (those will be better, most all of the time) but this is a nice experience in itself and unless you plan to set out across all of Scotland and visit places on your own that may be open to the public - this is a nice overview, if you will of their offerings. Go for the largest whisky collection, and in my opinion you don't need the larger packages with multiple tastings - have those around town :) at local pubs. I selected my single tasting from the region of Campbeltown as I felt the descriptions matched my style in whisky the most. A fun time and if you're on the Royal Mile looking for interesting things to do, you can easily add this to your list. read more

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We had the best time here! I don't even like scotch and I really enjoyed learning about it and finding some I could stomach. The guide was super fun. We did the full tasting menu and that exceeded expectations!! You got a little of everything Scottish and it was all so good. The restaurant was cute too. Definitely very touristy but 10/10 would recommend this. read more

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I'm not a scotch gal, but this is scotch heaven with a wide variety of gifts and whiskeys. From gift sets to single bottles in various sizes, there's a little slice of liquid heaven for all. For the non scotch peeps such as myself, grab a lovely mug or pen. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

What fun! I wasn't expecting much because we had already done a "whiskey" experience in Dublin a couple years ago, but we really enjoyed our Scotch Whisky Experience with our guide, Gregor! We initially only came inside to look at the gift shop as I'm not a whisky drinker. But it was a rainy, early dark winter evening, so when they had room in the next tour we decided to join in at the silver level. When the tour was called to begin, it felt like we were being led onto Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride! We climbed into a ride car and rode along while learning how Scottish whisky is made as narrated by a ghostly character. When the ride ended, I told the worker that helped us off how it felt like Disneyland and she replied, "It's 'malt" Disney!" Next, we went into a movie room where we were given scratch and sniff cards while Gregor explained how the distilleries in different regions of Scotland have different flavor notes due to the environment of the water. We then went into a room where we each took a seat in front of a tasting glass. There we learned about blended whisky. There were lighted dots around the glasses representing the five different whisky regions and one for blended. Based on what we learned, we each put our glass on a spot to get a pour of the whisky we wanted to taste. Finally, we headed into a room where we were surrounded by loads of whisky bottles in glass cases and talked more about whisky. Then it was time to say Slàinte Mhath! as we tasted what was in our glasses. I could really taste the mild smoky peat and vanilla notes in mine from Campbeltown. It really was a good value and lots of fun - especially for those just learning about scotch whisky. Plus, you get to keep the glass! read more

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Even for someone who isn't a whisky drinker this was a nice introduction to the drink. We learned all about the history and the types of scotch. We also got to taste scotch from each region that we learned about. It was also cool to see the huge collection that they had on display during the tour. It's right by the castle, totally something to see if you're ever in Edinburgh. read more

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I am not a whiskey fan by any means but we had such a good time here. My husband learned so much and was fascinated to learn about the whiskey making process. Loved that they did a tasting at the end and really incorporated a lot of sensory stuff to get you to see those underlying notes of what you are drinking. It is definitely something to try out while you are in the area. read more

I thought this was a pretty darn good deal. My wife and I are scotch whisky enthusiasts, so naturally we wanted to check this place out when we visited Edinburgh. There were no openings when we tried to book one online (as recommended) but when we showed up anyway and asked at the reception desk they got us right in on a tour. The tour and tasting took about an hour, which was just the right amount of time. The guide was knowledgeable and entertaining, and we learned quite a bit about the differences between scotches from various regions in the country. The tasting alone was worth the price of admission. Would definitely recommend. read more

We picked the platinum tour, Marcus was amazing; he was fun, informative and knowledgeable.

Great tour by Kev! You learn about all the whiskey regions in Scotland plus a little history of Scotland itself. The whiskey tasting is the cherry on top. read more

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I really didn't know what to expect when we signed up for this but I loved it! Very informative and had some tasty whiskey read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

Even though this place is a complete tourist trap, it's still worth the experience just once. First of all, I highly recommend you purchase your tickets online beforehand. We skipped a long line of people due to this, which definitely saved us at least half an hour. The basic silver tour only comes with one tasting, so to get the best experience --I would also recommend you upgrade to the Gold Tour (£29.50). To start off the tour, we take an informative mini ride inside a barrel discussing the history and making process of the whiskeys. Next, you're seated into a room with a video that describes all the regions of Scotch whiskeys and its different notes, which you can sniff from a scratcher card. I thought this was pretty neat, so I could understand the various whiskeys and its taste. Once you're educated about the types of whiskeys made in Scotland, you are led into the next room to choose which region you'd like to taste. Finally, the group is brought into the vault where the largest unopened scotch whiskey collection is held. This part was pretty grand and you are taught how to drink your whiskey. You are given some time to take photos before reaching the end of the tour. At this point, the silver tour is left to the gift shop. But if you have the gold tour, you find a seat and get your whiskey tasting before the gift shop. It was a good space and we had our four tasters. I almost felt a bit too neglected during this part, which could've enhanced the experience. Also, you also get 10% off any bottle from the gift store, so don't forget that! I liked that I learned a bit more about whiskey from the tour, but definitely something I'd only pay for once in my lifetime. read more

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I came expecting the experience to primarily be sampling whiskies alongside light bites, but it was rather informative. Guests first start by admiring the World's Largest Collection of Scotch Whiskey before hopping aboard the Barrel Ride to learn about whiskey making and distilleries. Afterwards the tour guide introduced the five types of Scotch whiskies, of which each person got to try one single malt whiskey. The tour was included as part of the Wallace Package for the The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo due to the seat selection. For ours, the experience wrapped up at a bar lounge with a plate of appetizers and a drink until it was time for everybody to head over to the stadium in front of the Edinburgh Castle. A short bagpipe and drum performance was shown prior to departure too. Otherwise tickets can be purchased from £19 to £82 depending on the selected tour. Guest Wi-Fi is available. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - World's Largest Collection of Scotch Whiskey. - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

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My boyfriend & I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Edinburgh's The Scorch Whisky Experience. I had no expectations going into it--other than some Education & a tasting--& was truly pleased with what we got. Definitely was not expecting the first part to be a Haunted House (Disneyland)-style ride; this was a big corny, but in a thoroughly charming way. It could be improved with some additional sensory experiences, but it was quite fun all the same. Our guide Alex was equally charming (& corny). He delivered an excellent balance of information & entertainment. If I could make one recommendation, it would be that the Gold Tour's additional tasting not be as rushed & be more guided, as the initial tasting is. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - The whisky vault holds the world's largest collection of scotch whisky. - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

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We highly recommend this experience while visiting Edinburgh! We are not huge, scotch whiskey, drinkers, but love to learn more about the process and do some tastings so we signed up for the Gold package. The entire tour was about an hour and 45 minutes and quite impressive, the first part of the tour was educational, but it was interactive and a lot of 3-D technology to teach us about the process in making whiskey. The tour ended with a single tasting first in their whiskey room, and then another room where we were given 4 different samples. Our guide was Kev and he was fantastic! He was so great at providing the background of whiskey making in Scotland, but also had a great sense of humor to go with it! I can't recommend this enough!! read more

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Andrew, a tour guide who's also in his fourth year of studies in the distilling and beverage making industry, gave us a fantastic tour yesterday. Lots of interesting information, an engaging presence, and willingness to take questions made the time very enjoyable. read more

The whole thing was more than just a bit touristy, it was suuuuper touristy. And to taste more than just one scotch whisky, you have to pay for the gold tour (which we did). Getting the silver tour only gives you one tasting so doesn't seem worth it. You start by sitting in a large barrel that moves slowly around a designated path. Be warned it's super warm in this area. You'll then watch a video on a giant super hi def screen which is actually amazingly well shot. Really cool to see the country side as they talk about the different regions and different flavours of each whisky. You'll end up getting one sample on the tour as you walk around a giant collection of whiskies. It was kinda cool but I just felt like I was left to taste this whisky with little insight on it. And it was far from top shelf stuff. Definitely not worth returning to; find a real whisky bar or cocktail bar instead. read more

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I came here back in May of 2018, and I couldn't believe how much I loved this place. I kind of figured it would be a little cliché, but boy was I wrong. From the start, the staff was friendly and helpful. They helped me decide what package I wanted to purchase in order to guarantee i has the best experience I possibly could. They take you through the history of distilling scotch and how much scotch means to the country of Scotland. So cool. After the tour, they provide you with a whisky tasting, where I was finally able to taste Lagavulin (shout out to Ron Swanson). Best scotch you'll ever try. Believe me when I tell you, I could have spent tons of money on the scotch they had available. If you're in Edinburgh, you MUST come by here. read more

The Scotch Whisky Experience - Lagavulin whisky - Tours Near Me - Edinburgh, MLN

This tour/tasting was a great way to learn about how scotch whiskey is made and the different regions. I'm not someone who drinks whiskey ever so I found the information interesting and it was a good introduction to the spirit. If you're looking for an easy and relaxing way to try the different regional whiskies, this is a good place to do it. read more