I used to live nearby and remember where the Port of Leith Distillery was built before the wee road was called Whisky Quay, and I watched the world’s tallest vertical whisky distillery be built.
I’ve moved further along the water, but of course, I signed up for one of the early tours.
My day to tour came on the tail end of Storm Gerrit, which was the one that caused mini Tornados to strike parts of the country, and while it wasn’t terrible for my tour, it was very blustery! The Port of Leith Distillery is a green building; it uses natural resources such as an underground stream from which it gets fresh water and natural ventilation. Suffice it to say, while it wasn’t (that) breezy inside, the dying storm outside was clearly determined to get in, and it very much added to the atmosphere.
My only notes of caution are that this tour is not recommended if you’re scared of heights. The floor is not solid. You walk on a metal lattice and can sometimes see all the way down. It’s not suitable for high heels. As it’s a whisky-tasting tour, it’s not for kids.
Port of Leith Distillery tour experience
Get yourself to the Distillery, into the elevators (there will be plenty of time for stairs later) and up to the reception and shop level. I wish that was clearer but it wasn’t too hard to figure out.
The tour starts at the shop, an effective place to gather and wait, for everyone with tickets to turn up, and a battle of willpower.
I didn’t buy anything at the shop, to begin with, but I was so thrilled to be part of the Port of Leith Distillery experience. I came home with their first bottles. Yeah, I’ll drink them rather than collect them.
The Distillery isn’t making whisky yet, but this is mixed news. It means that I didn’t get to be in the working Distillery, but it also meant that I could get closer to the machines than might otherwise have been possible.
The tour starts at the top, and like the clever use of gravity to bring the whisky down through pipes and into mash tuns, you work downwards.
I’ve mentioned already that there’s a bit of excitement with the height and physicality of the tour, not just magnified by the fact that some areas are potentially explosive but also because some incredibly heavy vats end up over your head. In a typical Distillery, one on the ground, the mash tuns could hold thousands of litres or tons of grain but be safely on terra firma. In the Port of Leith Distillery, the mash tuns are bolted into the framework of the building and can, on occasion, dangle over your head.
What you learn about in the Port of Leith Distillery whisky tour is not just about the engineering and history of the building but also about whisky as a process and a little about the history of the drink and the business. I had no idea what a drink safe was, or why it was needed, before the tour.
I suspect the Distillery will be running by March 2024.
Port of Leith Distillery whisky tasting experience
I do like a dram of whisky, so I was up for the whisky-tasting experience. The group of people I was with was pretty mixed, with some young women a bit cautious of the alcohol levels or perhaps just new to drinking and whisky.
There are five wee whisky shots to taste test water to dilute the booze to your tastes or tolerance, so I wouldn’t call it hardcore.
As the Port of Leith Distillery isn’t quite making whisky yet, I didn’t get to sample any of the whisky from the clever building, but the company hasn’t been idle. It’s been making whisky (and gin, of course, just up the road at Lind & Lime.
In particular, I enjoyed tasting two different whiskies made from different yeast strains that were otherwise identical. Oh goodness, these two sibling whiskies tasted so different. You can see why the two Muckle Brig bosses, Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher, tested so many.
We also learned that the Port of Leith Distillery is going to continue to experiment. There’s not going to be ‘just one’ whisky that comes from the building, and that it’s output will change from year to year, which began to sound like a whisky collector’s dream (or nightmare) until I heard how many bottles the Distillery will be able to make.
Port of Leith Distillery hospitality
There is a bar at the Port of Leith Distillery, but on my tour, it had been booked out for a private function. As a result, I didn’t get to test that, and perhaps that was best!
However, I’m absolutely sure that the Port of Leith Distillery tour and hospitality combo will be a favourite office party combo from now on.
It’s not just a bar; there’s a food menu as well, which right now offers steak pie, scotch egg, lasagne, side dishes and desserts. That’s more than some peanuts and crisps. That’s sit down and eat level of a meal.
The steak pie is £14, the hand-cut chops £4, and for contrast, an Old Fashioned made from Muckle Brig’s own Table Whisky costs £8. I had to look and can also report that the bottle of The Leith Export Co La Gade Ecoassaise Champagne is the highest-priced item on the menu. That’s £60.
Things to do in Leith
In the future, I’ll be recommending the tour or, at least, a visit to this Distillery as a thing to do in Leith.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is a neighbour; you can see that tourist attraction from the Distillery. Ocean Terminal sits in between, and, at the time of writing, the shopping centre is in a state of flux due to refurbishment, but for now, there’s a cinema, food and some shopping. There may be future bingo from Club 3000 and entertainment from Level X.
On Saturdays, the Farmers’ Market is a short walk away, and there are pubs and restaurants of many stripes once you get there. Alternatively, you can walk away from the hustle, follow the tram suits to the current end and explore the small and calmer Newhaven harbour.
No further away than the Saturday market is Coburg House Art Studios, which often has events and its own on-site store.
Overall
I’m glad I went and would recommend the Port of Leith Distillery tour to anyone who suspects they might be interested. If you’re curious about the process or chemistry, if you’re inquisitive about the history or the business, then that’s you.
Furthermore, if you’re the plus one of someone who might be interested, then I think you’ll likely enjoy the tour as well! Despite being somewhat niche the whole tour experience is safely mainstream.
However, if you must wear heels, don’t like heights, or don’t drink, then I think there will be too much of a tour and tasting experience you’ll be left out of. That said, if you are the designated driver for the day, thank you. There is a driver pack for you as a take-home alternative.
A review of the Port of Leith Distillery
Summary
A tour and whisky-tasting experience in the world’s tallest vertical Distillery is another reason to come to Leith. The Port of Leith Distillery is history in the making and the tour is interesting, tasty and a chance to be part of the story.
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