The Port of Leith Distillery - Edinburgh

Miriam O.

The Port of Leith Distillery is located right next to the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith – easily reachable from central Edinburgh in about 20 minutes by tram from Princes Street.

What makes this distillery stand out is its unusual vertical layout. Unlike traditional distilleries, the production process is arranged across several floors of a modern, purpose-built structure. The washbacks are integrated directly into the steel frame of the building – pretty stunnimg. The tour begins on the top floor and guides visitors step by step through the levels of production.

Though they haven’t released their own whisky yet, the distillery is already experimenting with different yeast strains, fermentation times and temperatures – it will be interesting to see what their whisky will taste like once it's marketable. During the tasting following the guided tour, visitors sample the New Make Spirit and fortified wines from their Spanish partner bodega, whose casks will one day be used for maturation.

The visit is best rounded off by the bar on the top floor with views over Leith Harbour. The whisky list is extensive and carefully curated – in fact, more impressive than some well-known whisky bars in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Add to that modern, well-prepared food, and it’s a place worth visiting in its own right – even without a full dram of their own just yet.

Jenni U. (.

We went on a 1.5 hour tour with my friends. The tour was very informative and we learned a lot. Leo was a great guide! The tasting at the end was also really well organized. All in all, I found the tour an excellent choice and would recommend it! The distillery is new, so this was a great way to see modern distillery facilities in nice surroundings by the shore.

Soo H. L.

The tour was very fun and informative ! Ellie was our guide and Ellie’s explanation about the Distillery’s structure and history was so fun. Me and my friend enjoyed this tour very much. Wish the best for The Port of Leith Distillery! This was such a good tour to understand more about whiskey making and this amazing passionate company! Looking forward to try their whiskey in few years🤍

Sarah E. R.

We had a great afternoon at Port of Leith Distilling. Our tour with Isobel was great and she made it fun and informative. The views were gorgeous, the tasting was a cool experience, and the cocktails at the bar were really excellent.

Rebecca C.

On a recommendation from one of the fabulous staff behind the bar at @mortalkocktail we went to Port of Leith Distillery...walked along the Water of Leith (another great tip)...and it was worth every minute. Rocky was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide...thank you, Rocky! The view is second to none, overlooking the Firth of Forth and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Excellent recommendation.

Jasmine B.

Very Interesting Tour. Interesting to see a whisky distillery which is vertical (advised only 1 of 2 in the world).
We were lucky enough to only have 3 of us on our tour. Angus was very knowledgeable and anything he wasn't too sure of he check and came back to us. Nice tasting at the end ( 2 spirits, a port, sherry and a whisky) and getting to learn the history of how it came to be. Would recommend (even to those who don't care for whisky)

Emily

Really enjoyable and informative experience! Enjoyed the whiskey tour with our guide Emery, who took us through each process of the making of single malt whiskey with a tasting experience at the end. Even as people who don’t like whiskey it was really good fun and interesting!

Emery was very knowledgable and answered all questions. Would definitely recommend!

Avery W.

Really nice distillery tour. If you are interested in exploring a new distillery and seeing how scotch whiskey is made, this is a great place to go. You get to fill a small bottle at the end of the tour, which makes for a great souvenir if you are visiting.