With the Edinburgh Festival Fringe now in full swing, it's likely that you'll already have ticked off a number of your 'must-see' shows for this year.
There are still a busy three weeks ahead though, and as such we're here to offer a helping hand in planning the food and drink pitstops that will help to keep spirits high this August.
Whether you're a local looking to relax after a day of dodging crowds or a visitor keen to sample a few drams while you're in Scotland, here are 10 recommendations for whisky bars in Edinburgh.
Devil's Advocate
9 Advocate’s Close
A bar and restaurant that's hidden away in an old Victorian pump house up Advocate's Close in the city's Old Town.
There you'll find a whisky shelf which holds around 300 Scottish and world whiskies and fridges stocked with all manner of craft beers.
devilsadvocateedinburgh.co.uk
Canny Man's Bar
237 Morningside Road
This Edinburgh institution established in 1871 was once described by TV chef Rick Stein as "the best pub in the world".
Their main bar holds a selection of over 250 whiskies from bottles so rare that they can "only be found in private collections" to familiar favourites at at fair price.
A whisky flight - be it Islay, Highland or Speyside - is a great way to pin down your dram of choice.
www.cannymans.co.uk
Kaleidoscope Bar
28 Queen Street
While the SMWS is a members-only club, Kaleidoscope Bar, its a little known fact that the ground floor of their venue at 28 Queen Street in the heart of Edinburgh is open to all.
As part of the Festival programme, they are also hosting daily whisky tasting events at the venue with five drams priced at just £20.
smws.com
Tipsy Midgie
67 St Leonards Hill
A multi-award winning bar which claims to have the largest whisky collection in Edinburgh with a staggering count of close to 1000 open bottles at any given time.
Newcomers and dram aficionados alike are welcomed to stop by, with experiences like their newly 'chocolate pairings' sure to offer a novel experience for all.
www.tipsymidgie.com
Johnnie Walker Princes Street
145 Princes Street
An the eight-floor visitor experience for the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky which truly has to be seen to be believed.
So popular is JWPS that in 2023 alone the team reportedly welcomed 359,000 guests from "Andorra to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between".
See what all the fuss is about before taking the city in all it's glory from the 1820 rooftop bar which enjoys an unbeatable view of Edinburgh castle.
www.johnniewalker.com
The Black Cat
168 Rose Street
Conveniently located on Rose Street in the city centre is this cosy space that's perfect for raising a toast to end a full on day of theatre and fun.
The Black Cat bar is proudly home to more than 200 malt whiskies, local beer, live music and "the quirkiest team on the street".
www.theblackcatbar.com
Whiski Rooms
4 to 7 North Bank Street
For more drams with a view, head to Whiski Rooms on North Bank Street where an outdoor seating area offers a 'stunning' spot overlooking Princes Street.
If you're on a mission to learn more world of whisky this summer, the team also hosts tasting events every single day which they say are "fun and informative with no experience necessary".
There's ample opportunity to pick up a souvenir of your visit too with an adjoining whisky shop which stocks a sizeable collection of local spirits.
www.whiskirooms.co.uk
Arcade Haggis and Whisky House
48 Cockburn Street
A short walk from Princes Street will take you to one of the city's oldest pubs providing "providing over 100 whiskies, a superb range of speciality fair trade teas and of course haggis".
Their extensive drinks menu is an intriguing exploration of Scotland's finest distilleries from Auchentoshan on the outskirts of Glasgow to Orkney's Highland Park.
arcadepub.co.uk
The Abbey
65 South Clerk Street
An escape from the hubbub of the city centre, the Abbey Whisky bar is said to be 'a true slice of Edinburgh' where patrons include locals, tourists, professionals and students.
There are over 500 whiskies to choose from, but not to be overlooked is if a range of cask ales which has earned the South Clerk Street venue the coveted 'Cask Marque' award for outstanding quality.
abbeybar.co.uk
Teuchters Landing
1c Dock Place, Leith
A quirky waterside seating is a huge part of this popular bar's appeal and, when the sun shines on Leith, there really are few better places to nab a table for a few drams.
The pub is the former waiting room for the Leith to Aberdeen steamboat ferry which nowadays houses a large beer garden and pontoon.
Both areas are known to fill up fast in the summer months, but with a walk-ins only policy it's well worth chancing your luck.
teuchtersbar.co.uk
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