Whisky 101 in Edinburgh: 90-minute Introduction to Taste, History, and Process

Discover the fascinating world of whisky in Edinburgh! Join our 90-minute introduction to taste, history, and the whisky-making process. Explore a unique underground space and sample whiskies from different regions.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • CoDE Pod \’96 THE CoURT - Join us for an evening of whisky and stories in the historic heart of the Old Town of Edinburgh! This is the ideal introduction to the world of whisky - we’ll talk to you about the history of whisky, and tell you how Scottish whisky became the finest in the world.
    Along the way, we’ll sample whiskies from each of the major…
What's Included
  • Experienced Local Guide
  • Alcoholic beverages
Meal Options
  • Whisky - 4 whiskies, one from each of the major whisky production regions of Scotland
Additional Information

Welcome to Whisky 101! This is a beginners guide to the rich backstory, creation technique, and flavors of our country’s signature beverage, whisky, all condensed in an engaging 90-minute session. Our unique location, a recently discovered underground venue in Edinburgh’s Old Town, adds to the experience. Enjoy private access to this historical place,…

Location
CoDE Pod – THE CoURT
Parliament Square
Behind St Giles Cathedral, in the corner of Parliament Square, you'll fin the statue of James Braidwood, and next to that is the Code Pod Hostel, 1A Parliament Square, EH1 1RF where we'll meet you at reception! Your guide will meet you there and then take you down into our location.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(284 Ratings)
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Kristin
Mar 15, 2025
Good whiskey info in a unique spot - This was a great experience! You are with a small group which is nice. The location is unique and quaint. Our guide (Mark?) was very knowledgeable about how to taste whiskey and the stories behind each whiskey.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexa_s
Mar 10, 2025
So much fun! It was such... - So much fun! It was such a different experience from other tastings I had done. Being underground was really cool and felt like a step back in time. I loved getting the history on each whiskey we tasted, all with a map to make it easier to understand why they tasted a way based on the distillery location. Would definitely book this one again!
Review provided by Viator
Sergey_k
Mar 3, 2025
Great tour sight,... - Great tour sight, knowledgeable guide, generous whisky tasting, learn more about this beautiful drink
Review provided by Viator
Querobino_d
Jan 29, 2025
Great whisky tour - We had a problem finding the venue but boy was it worth it. Really enjoyable talk through the history of whisky and the tastings were special. Loved being walked through the different malts and comparisons with the blends.
Review provided by Viator
Marie_k
Jan 3, 2025
Highly Recommend - Enjoyable and Informative - Value for Money - Very informative and enjoyable experience. You get to know people, too, on your table. Really fun and learned a lot. I bought a bottle after! It's well worth it - great value for money.
Review provided by Viator
Jim_g
Dec 11, 2024
The best tasting and education ever! - James did a great job of tailoring the flavors to our taste. Amazing job of explaining production,aging, and regions. If you are doing a tasting in Edinburgh, this is the one.
Review provided by Viator
Kim_s
Dec 6, 2024
Fun and Informative - Walking into the Lost Close Restaurant/Bar may seem a little uninteresting, but never fear! You are led by you whisky expert down into a recently unearthed close where there is a nice seating area (for up to 8(?)) around the tasting table in a rather spooky underground vault. Our guide gave an entertaining history of the discovery of the close, and then we proceeded with the tasting. We chose the medium level tasting, so there were some interesting selections that our knowledgeable guide brought down, and she adapted choices as we progressed based on our preferences. Highly recommend for the whisky novice to the aficionado.
Review provided by Viator
K7692jkamyr
Dec 2, 2024
Excellent! - The Whiskey experience was brilliant from start to finish. The stories behind each of the whiskeys we tried was so interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anthonyry8851dj
Nov 28, 2024
Good for beginners - It was a fun little tasting. You learn about the history of the whiskeys and a bit about Scotland. Good for people who do not know much about whiskey and don't know where to begin
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lytrell_b
Nov 27, 2024
Interesting & Good Whiskey - Had a great time sampling the whiskies from all over Scotland. The host was very knowledgeable and gave and amazing tour.
Review provided by Viator
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