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Whisky Tour: Discover Old Edinburgh's Whisky History
4.9
58 Ratings
Edinburgh
Explore Edinburgh’s whisky history and savor fine malts on an intimate tour. Learn the craft from field to glass.
Explore Edinburgh’s whisky history and savor fine malts on an intimate tour. Learn the craft from field to glass.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Mercat Cross - Begin your tour at the Mercat Cross and uncover the significance of this eight-sided monument steeped in history.
- Royal Mile - Embark on a sensory adventure through Scotland’s whisky. Discover Edinburgh’s Old Town, where the world’s largest Scottish whisky company was established, and where the rich history of “aqua vitae” (or…
- Mercat Cross - Begin your tour at the Mercat Cross and uncover the significance of this eight-sided monument steeped in history.
- Royal Mile - Embark on a sensory adventure through Scotland’s whisky. Discover Edinburgh’s Old Town, where the world’s largest Scottish whisky company was established, and where the rich history of “aqua vitae” (or the “water of life”) originated. Listen to tales of those who pioneered whisky production in Edinburgh, including the smugglers, bootleggers, and other intriguing characters from the Old Town’s past.
- Mercat Tours - Your knowledgeable guide will provide insights into the “water of life”; from the whisky-making process to the influence of essential elements like water, barley, peat, and the cask on production. Experience the aromas and flavors of the whisky regions, with samples from Speyside, Highland, Islay, and Lowland distilleries. Consider this your first step towards becoming a whisky expert!
What's Included
- Whisky tasting of 4 drams
- Small group experience
- Award-winning local storytellers
- TourTalk radio receiver for immersive storytelling
- Whisky tasting of 4 drams
- Small group experience
- Award-winning local storytellers
- TourTalk radio receiver for immersive storytelling
What's Not Included
- This tour is not suitable for those under the age of 18
- This tour is not suitable for those under the age of 18
Additional Information
Embark on a sensory adventure through Scotland’s whisky heritage. Discover Edinburgh’s Old Town, the birthplace of the world’s largest Scottish whisky company, where the rich history of “aqua vitae” (or the “water of life”) began.
Vibrant history, tradition, and a candlelit whisky tasting
The journey continues with a whisky tasting in the candlelit…
Embark on a sensory adventure through Scotland’s whisky heritage. Discover Edinburgh’s Old Town, the birthplace of the world’s largest Scottish whisky company, where the rich history of “aqua vitae” (or the “water of life”) began.
Vibrant history, tradition, and a candlelit whisky tasting
The journey continues with a whisky tasting in the candlelit ambiance of Megget’s Cellar. Enjoy enthralling stories, inhale the rich aromas, and savor a single malt tasting in our exclusive underground vaults. It’s the perfect way to lift the spirits. Experience four Scottish whiskies, expertly guided by our whisky specialist.
- Tours are guaranteed all year round, so please dress for the weather, with comfortable shoes.
Location
Mercat Cross
High Street
Mercat Cross, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. Look for the 8 sided monument with white Unicorn on top. You will find a member of our visitor services team waiting here to check you in. They will be dressed in black, holding an iPad, wearing an orange lanyard & holding a black & orange umbrella.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(58 Ratings)
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Tracy
Jul 18, 2025
Amazing!!! - Callum was our guide and we were incredibly fortunate that nobody else had booked the tour this day! 3 other colleagues joined in to see if they might like doing this tour in the future. Callum taught us a lot of things regarding the history of whisky in Scotland, and he really was super engaging during the tasting! What was nice, was that 2 of the z3 colleagues who stayed for the tasting were also friendly and lovely to have conversation with! Thoroughly enjoyed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frank_h
Jul 12, 2025
Educational and fun - If you don’t have time for a distillery tour this is a great way to learn and taste whiskey. Educational and fun
Review provided by Viator
Sandiechu
Jun 4, 2025
Amazing Underground Whisky tasting tour! - We had an amazing time with this tour, especially Calum, our guide. This tour in Edinburgh is a Must!!! Staff in Mercat Tours are very professional and helpful. Definitely 5 stars!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisaophelia
May 24, 2025
Recommended - Beautiful tour, detailed and full of stories! For our last night in Edinburgh I had booked "Evening of Ghosts & Ghouls" and our guide, Jack, was superb! It has us like immersed in the past and was unforgettable. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amrett_l
May 23, 2025
Jared Is An Amazing Guide Into The World of Whiskey - Jared Was Amazing! Extremely Wonderful Historian and Provided An Excellent Journey for this very novice whiskey drinker. Walk was a bit strenuous for me but very much worth the sticking to the end of the walk. Enjoyed Cheers!
Review provided by Viator
Jeanne_v
May 18, 2025
Fun and educational - A fun experience! We especially enjoyed the small group experience. Hearing the history first provided good background for the actual tasting. The tasting was fun and educational, and very interactive. Guide encouraged comments and questions. The setting for the actual tasting is charming and atmospheric. We strongly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
N4860mqdavids
Mar 15, 2025
History and Whisky go together - We had Jerad who gave a lot of local history in the Whisky story of Edinburgh. We then had a tasting of 4 whiskys down slowly and well!, enjoying and finding the different tastes and backgroud flavours of each one. An enjoyable 2 hours which passed surprisingly fast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X3788qsgeorger
Mar 9, 2025
Frisky day out - Interesting tour on the history and politics of whisky in Scotland and the world. What was interesting was Jerrard our tour guide was clearly a Whisky fan and was very knowledgeable about the history, so much so he could answer questions not related to the tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saaamanthalynn
Dec 2, 2024
Perfect small gathering whiskey tasting for first timers - Perfect small gathering whiskey tasting. Jared (also known as JarHead) was very personable and knowledgeable. He made the experience pleasant and gave great recommendations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stacie_c
Oct 19, 2024
Wait for the fun - Jared was our guide. The history and walking part was just ok. I think what made it so impersonal was that we had earphones on and with the busy sidewalks he walked in front and spent let’s of time reciting various whiskey history. The super part was at the tour headquarters when we sat down for the tasting. It was a cozy and historic room and his attention and knowledge was fabulous. He engaged each of us on the tour and we all thoroughly enjoy the tasting and the knowledge gained of the scotches from all the areas in the country. It was fun and a highlight of our day.
Review provided by Viator
