Edinburgh: Underground Whisky Tour and Tasting

Take a sensory journey through Edinburgh’s Old Town and Scotland’s whisky heritage, ending with a guided tasting in an exclusive candlelit underground vault.

Getting started

Meet your guide near the Royal Mile, where your ticket will be checked and audio devices handed out. The walk begins through historic streets tied to whisky’s colourful past.

What to expect

You’ll follow the story of “aqua vitae” from King James IV to 19th-century pioneers like Ballantine and Usher Jr, while exploring the wynds and closes that helped shape Scotland’s whisky legacy.

Features

• Whisky history tour: Learn about smugglers, surgeons, and famous whisky-makers in the birthplace of global Scotch distribution.

• King James IV and beyond: Discover how a royal prescription led to Edinburgh’s early whisky dominance and its Guild of Surgeon Barbers.

• Old Town origins: Walk the streets where the biggest names in whisky once worked, experimented, and revolutionized the industry.

• Vault tasting session: Head into candlelit Megget’s Cellar for a guided single malt tasting in a private underground space.

• Expert-led experience: Sample four regional whiskies and learn how ingredients like water, peat, and casks shape their flavour.

This intimate tour blends storytelling with sensory discovery and it's perfect for anyone curious about Scotch, its roots, and how to taste it like a pro.

Edinburgh: Underground Whisky Tour and Tasting

Embarking on a journey through Edinburgh’s historic streets, visitors will discover hidden stories of smugglers, kings, and distillers who shaped Scotland's whisky legacy. As you weave through the cobblestone alleys of the Old Town, your guide illuminates each step with tales of illicit trade, royal endorsements, and the birthplace of a global industry. Megget’s Cellar stands as the tour's centerpiece where enthusiasts delve into four exquisite local whiskies, savoring their depth and complexity in an atmosphere steeped in tradition and history. This guided walk and tasting experience weaves the rich tapestry of Edinburgh’s past with the allure of its whisky heritage, offering unforgettable encounters to forge lasting connections while understanding that every sip is a story waiting to be told.

Discovering Royal Mile's Whisky Heritage

Experience Royal Mile during the tour's highlight segment where history and libation intertwine. Strolling along this iconic thoroughfare, visitors will uncover layers of whisky lore, from the illicit trade that once flourished here to the royal patronage of King James IV who declared it a Scottish delicacy. Each cobblestone tells a story of smugglers’ daring feats and distillers' clandestine activities. The air hums with whispers of bygone eras as you explore historic taverns and hidden cellars that have been pivotal in shaping Scotland's whisky identity. This journey along the Royal Mile represents the tour’s cornerstone, connecting past traditions to present-day craftsmanship.

Tour Highlights

• Walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town uncovering smugglers’ tales
• Hear King James IV’s decree promoting Scotch whisky production
• Explore Megget's Cellar for an authentic tasting experience
• Discover Scotland’s largest whisky company origins in historic streets
• Savor four local specialities in a specialist-led tasting session
• Immerse in the rich history and heritage of whisky at every turn

Whisked away for explorers of spirits, connoisseurs of tradition, and seekers of tales untold, this underground tour and tasting experience delivers an immersive journey through Scotland's whisky soul. Join this unforgettable expedition to uncover the secrets hidden beneath Edinburgh’s stone streets, crafting memories that shimmer like a golden liquid in the light of historical lanterns. Each sip is a testament to centuries of craft, rebellion, and royal endorsement, weaving together threads of past and present into a tapestry of flavor and lore.