Emma Inside the Johnnie Walker Experience, Edinburgh
The Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street Edinburgh is now a fixture of the whisky tourism scene despite not being a distillery itself. So, what is on offer behind the door of this impressive building and what should you expect at the Johnnie Walker Experience Princes Street?
The tour starts with a short iPad quiz on personal taste likes and dislikes. With these answers you are assigned a wristband colour to go along with your flavour profile. These include fresh, fruity, creamy, spicy, smokey and tropical. You will find out later why.
From the grand reception area, the tour makes it way around the building telling the story of Johnnie Walker. There are lots of clever animations and some theatrical motion-based storytelling involving conveyer belts, prompting some to refer to the tour as ‘Malt Disney’ but it’s all good entertaining fun.
The first chance to taste whisky is with a highball created to your own flavour profile – remember those wristbands? Each highball is made using a different whisky and garnish.
The drinks are dispensed in a serving station which is like the best soda fountain ever. Not only making up bespoke drinks but also reducing the amount of glass bottles used by the Johnnie Walker Experience. Garnish your drink according to the guide using some of the ingredients below such as nutmeg, rose petal or even sun dried tomato.
Next stop, being talked through the process of making whisky with a look at the whiskies which are part of the Johnnie Walker family – Cardhu in Speyside, Caol Ila in Islay, Clynelish in the Highlands and Glenkinchie in East Lothian.
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At the end, you can sit down and relax over a couple of drinks. In their tasting bar you can taste two drinks from a selection of old fashioned and highball cocktails or just have a dram of a chosen whisky on its own (which includes the limited seasonal bottles which are on sale at the end of the experience).
After the tour is finised you can visit the 1820 rooftop bar with astounding views of Edinburgh Castle over Edinburgh itself.
This is what to expect from the Flavour of Experience tour, non-alcoholic drinks are also available.
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Where
Johnnie Walker Experience, 145 Princes Street, Edinburgh
