Scottish gin tours & tastings

You're never far from a gin tour or experience in Scotland, with distilleries dotted all across the country it's easy to add one or two to your Scotland itinerary. Here is just a flavour of gin distillery tours you can enjoy:

• Edinburgh: Edinburgh Gin, Summerhall Distillery, The Secret Garden
• Glasgow: Crossbill Gin, The Glasgow Distillery Co.
• Fife: Eden Mill Distillery, Kingsbarns Distillery
• Scottish Highlands: Kinrara Distillery, Arbikie Distillery,
• Scottish Borders: 1881 Distillery & Gin School

1. Scotland's love affair with gin started in Leith, Edinburgh

There is a long history with Leith’s port making it easy for the import and export of product needed for gin production, but today this area of Edinburgh boasts three distilleries – Lind and Lime Gin Distillery, Shore Distillery, and Port of Leith Distillery.

Explore the vibrant neighbourhood of Leith

3. Gin is made from juniper berries, but juniper is not a berry!

It's actually a seed.

Nearly all of the juniper used in gin-making is picked straight from the wild. During the plague years in the 14th century, doctors wore masks stuffed with juniper and people even began eating and drinking juniper, with the hopes it would fend off infection and disease.

Get outdoors and explore our forests and woodlands

5. Eden Mill's Golf Gin is influenced by materials used to make wooden golf clubs

The Eden Mill Distillery has been located on the same site for over 200 years.

The distillery, which also produces whisky and beer, has been recently inspired by its golf-loving home of St Andrews and makes a gin flavoured by hickory wood.

Visit St Andrews

7. The House of Elrick makes its gin using fresh water from Loch Ness

Makers of a beautifully crafted gin, the House of Elrick was built at the height of the Scottish Enlightenment in 1720.

It was once visited by Bonnie Prince Charlie, who gifted the Jacobite rose to the estate which now flourishes in the stunning walled garden.

Learn more about the Jacobites
Visit Loch Ness