A decade ago, fans of whisky heading to Edinburgh might have had to leave the city to head elsewhere to learn all about this wonderful spirit and discover how it is made, but thankfully, over the past five years, the capital has been blessed with a range of incredible new places to go.
With two new whisky distilleries in the city itself – as well as a third on the way – and a new state-of-the-art visitor centre at one close by, seeing the process of the whisky being made in person is easier than ever before.
Not only that, the new Johnnie Walker Princes Street now sits alongside the Scotch Whisky Experience in offering alternative, fun ways to learn about the uisge beatha.
READ MORE: Eight of the best whisky bars to try out in Edinburgh from the modern to traditional
And, should you want to try some great drams in a relaxing atmosphere at the home of the city's most knowledgeable societies, then we have you covered.
Holyrood Distillery, St Leonard's Lane
Opened to the public in 2019, Holyrood is the first single malt whisky distillery in Edinburgh's city centre in almost a century.
Though this modern distillery with its fantastic visitor centre doesn't have its own whisky yet (it's not due until next year), it does have its own gin and a variety of tours showing how the team here make their exciting spirit, and not only that, you'll even get to try it.
Glenkinchie Distillery, Tranent
Edinburgh's original unofficial distillery and the home of the 'Edinburgh malt', this is one of the best-equipped distilleries near Edinburgh for tours.
With an incredible scale model to show the process involved in whisky making, a newly updated state-of-the-art visitor centre and an extensive tour and shop, it's well worth checking out.
The Scottish Malt Whisky Society Rooms, Queen Street
Heading to Queen Street, you'll discover the Society Rooms, which is now open to non-members meaning you can enjoy their vibrant flavour-forward approach, which is aimed at stripping away a lot of the confusing aspects of whisky, in the beautiful Kaleidoscope Bar.
With a variety of themed tastings, there are plenty of enjoyable ways to sample some great drams.
Be warned though, the majority of their whiskies come in at cask strength, meaning a wee glass of water on the side shouldn't be shrugged at.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street
Scotland's newest whisky attraction, Johnnie Walker Princes Street recently opened in the heart of Edinburgh.
The eagerly awaited eight-floor visitor experience, which is located in the former House of Fraser building on Princes Street, takes visitors on an immersive journey through the whisky brand's 200-year-old history and includes a look at whisky through a variety of delicious mixed drinks.
The Scotch whisky Experience, Castlehill
First opened in the late 80s, the Scotch Whisky Experience has been offering several levels of tastings for decades to give you the low down on everything from production to tasting and is a great way to find out the answers to all of those niggling questions.
Oh and don't forget the stunning Diageo Claive Vidiz Collection, the world's largest collection of Scottish Whisky, with almost 4000 bottles that are on display here too.
And you can always grab a bite to eat in the excellent Amber Restaurant afterwards.
Cadenheads, Royal Mile
This unassuming little shop on the Canongate hides one of the best places to go for not only tastings but also great value whisky from some of the country's top distilleries.
A true hidden gem, unless you are in the know, Cadenhead’s is Scotland's oldest independent bottler meaning they know a lot about this exciting spirit.
Once you are done being impressed by the encyclopedic knowledge of the people behind the counter, you can sit down with them to learn more about - and taste - some great whiskies.
Port of Leith Distillery, Whisky Quay, Leith
One to bookmark for the future, this will be Scotland's first Vertical Distillery, and it's fascinating to watch it take shape and if that's enough for you, you can head to their nearby Lind & Lime Distillery to try some of their delicious gin.
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