1. Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar & Shop
Scotch Malt Whisky Society. 28 Queen Street, EH2 1JX
Kaleidoscope Bar. Photo Credit: The Nudge
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s venue in the New Town was once shrouded in mystery, open only to members, who had access to its exclusive bottlings. All that changed in 2016 when the society opened its Kaleidoscope bar, welcoming the public for the first time to see behind the veil and enjoy more than 200 whiskies on offer. Members of the society can also venture down to Leith, Edinburgh’s historic dock district, to visit The Vaults (87 St Giles Street, EH6 6BZ), an 18th century wine warehouse kitted out with leather sofas and roaring fires.
www.smws.com/about/venues/kaleidoscope-edinburgh
2. Usquabae Whisky Bar & Larder
2-4 Hope Street, EH2 4DB
A popular basement bar at the west end of Princes Street that stocks a whole gambit of whiskies and which specialises in older and rarer Scotch, including pre-Second World War bottles. The food is worth a try too, including traditional dishes such as: haggis, neeps and tatties; Cullen skink; and cranachan.