Edinburgh FRINGE!!! What’s On?
It’s Fringe! That’s right, in all of August (well, most of it), the whole city of Edinburgh transforms into a city-wide celebration of all kinds of art. This also includes the art of whisky! Because let’s face it… whisky is an art.
During August, there is so much going on if you love whisky. Some events are one-off and others are bookable for the month! Regarding one-off events, you have to sort out tickets (some of which sold out months ago!) and need to be available for the event times. Here are a few one-off events going on this month:
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I recently posted a reel from the Friday noon session on Instagram.
You can book this either through the Fringe website or through the Arbikie website.
With multiple sessions throughout the weekend, this is a tiny festival that isn’t too overwhelming. I took Professor T and she is just getting into whisky, but managed to find quite a few drams that she liked, and even ended up winning some distillery tour tickets as she correctly nosed a dram with the Borders Distillery. This was the first time I tried their whisky and was quite impressed, as I think that their whisky is less intimidating for newer whisky drinkers. The great thing is that if you want to attend with someone who doesn’t like whisky, there are tons of other drams provided by these distilleries, including aquavit, gin, rum, vodka, and so forth. You will surely find something that appeals to you. As this event has already passed, we will look forward to next year’s.
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This is a 90-minute event. It includes a tour and tasting. Though, I imagine that there will be more going on given that this is Fringe! The description promises ‘entertainment’ to be announced! Having toured their facilities a few times, it’s really interesting to see their ‘lab’ as they are quite experimental. I also love their new make spirit, and they have tons to choose from. In their downstairs shop, you can ask to taste anything on their shelves. At only £15 per person, this is quite a reasonably priced experience!
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The Royal Mile Whiskies retailer (sister shop to Drinkmongers) puts on this three-day ticketed event. This event sold out in minutes when it went on sale in April.
You HAVE to be on the Royal Mile Whiskies mailing list (or know someone who can share this info with you) when they are released. For £50 per day, you get access to hundreds of drams to try.
This year is crammed with 54 different booths. The programme itself is 68 pages!! New to this year is an American Whisky Zone and an Ardbeg Experience. You can try as much as you like (drinking responsibly, of course) for the time. They also feature a Half-time Orange, where there are special drams for each booth released ONLY at the midway point of the experience, and it’s a fun madness. The ticket also provides you with a £10 voucher at the Royal Mile Whiskies shop.
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There are some members-only events like a Grain Tasting at the vaults on the 15th, or Melodic Malts Quiz on the 8th. However, other events are open to the public, such as “Drag me to the Whisky: An Evening with Ivy” hosted by Queen Street venue, either on the 16th or the 23rd. This event is a great deal at £35 because it includes 5 drams, live entertainment (Ivy), and a supper!!
Tickets are https://smws.com/queen-street-drag-me-to-the-whisky-an-evening-with-ivy-23-08-2024/ or
https://smws.com/queen-street-drag-me-to-the-whisky-an-evening-with-ivy-16-08-2024/
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Put on by Spirits of the Glen, an Italian who knows his whisky!
Having attended his tastings previously, Francesco puts on a nice spread of cheese and charcuterie alongside his tastings. I’ve always had a great time at the Spirit of the Glen events! This will be quite an interesting experience as the 4-dram tasting, hosted by @whiskyconcerto, a NEW independent bottler, will be ‘paired’ with music by @Machine Orchid. In my professional life, I actually do a lot of research on how sensory cues, like taste, smell, and sound, come together to create more engaging and fun experiences. So, I can’t wait to geek out on this on multiple levels! You can choose between the 5:30pm and 8:15pm session.
Tickets still available: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/whisky-music-tickets-947041565817
Aside from these one-off events, there is so much going on around the city as part of the actual Edinburgh Fringe, where you can buy tickets at https://www.edfringe.com/ If you plan to be in Edinburgh during this month and want to take part in some of the daily whisky activities, here are a few options:
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A 2-hour session at 7pm daily, running only 6 days during fringe (8, 9, 15, 16, 23, and 24),
I’ve heard rave reviews about this experience!!
I love that this experience takes you on a journey about women and their role in alcohol production and brings in traditional folk music. This is on my list to see this year, as even my hairdresser has heard great things about this! Not to be missed!
While this is £55 per person, it’s eligible for the Friends of the Fringe discount (2for1) if you have signed up to be a Friend.
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A 2-hour session at 3pm or 5.15pm daily.
While the Fringe page doesn’t describe the experience well, last year’s show had positive reviews.
Running from the 5th through the 27th of August, this event is priced at £31 per person.
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Another music (blues) and whisky pairing experience.
For the past 2 fringe years, this experience has sold out.
At a less time demanding 1 hour and 5 minutes, this experience runs from August 8 through the 24th at 6:40pm or 8:15pm and is nicely priced at £20 per person.
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We really enjoyed last year’s experience and can’t wait to join again!
This is a nice time (1pm) given that most shows are later in the day. Running most days (aside from Mondays) between the 6th and 25th of August, you get 5 drams for £20 per person.
A BONUS is that this experience is also eligible for the 2for1 discount for Friends of the Fringe!
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I fell in love with this bar when we had a blind tasting there last month. Colin really has a keen interest in helping people get to know whisky, and they have a great variety of choices!!
This year, they are putting on midnight drams and snacks, which change daily. I have to say that I’ve drooled over their sample menu a few times! Going on from the 5th (today) through the 25th, aside from Tuesdays, at 11:55pm, you can enjoy 3 drams paired with 3 snacks for £30.
You can take a look at their sample menu on their Instagram page.
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Seems to combine whisky, food, and history into a walking & eating/drinking tour of the Royal Mile.
With options at 10am or 3pm, this 90-minute tour promises to introduce you to local culture and histories for £35 per person. Seeing that this also includes drinks and food, it’s a decent price!