PR invite // All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.
Every Friday and Saturday throughout May you will be able to book the new Casks & Closes tour which includes a tour around the historic rooms underneath the Royal Mile as well as a whisky tasting.
It’s almost hard to explain exactly what this tour entails without going in to quite a lot of information, but if you have a fascination for history it’s well worth doing a tour of the Mary Kings Close as it offers an insight to what life would’ve looked in Edinburgh centuries ago.
Our main tour guide was knowledgable and incorporated whisky facts and information in the tour in suitable places without making it overly complicated. I won’t spoil too much of the tour itself as it’s part of the experience to see it for yourself but if you easily get claustrophobic just be mindful that it does take place in limited areas underground.
The whisky tasting at the end is hosted by external tasting hosts that collaborate with the visitor attraction. We got to try three interesting whiskies – two cask strength from Cadenheads (Glentauchers and Tomatin) and also the blend which has been created for Mary Kings Close by Edinburgh based Skene Whisky. I thought it was a little bit strange to start on the cask strength whiskies to then move on to the 40% blend which I would’ve assumed to be the highlight of the tasting as it was the house blend – and also the one I enjoyed the most – as the cask strength whiskies are much more powerful in their abv. The tasting host also seemed really nervous and wasn’t quite sure what to say which was very unexpected as I believe they host a lot of tastings. He also didn’t offer the option of tasting the whisky before adding water and came around with water which he added for everyone before they got to try it for all three. I don’t mind adding water, but I prefer trying without first and then adding to taste. I know cask strength whiskies can be very strong , especially to those who aren’t used to whisky but it’s always nice to offer the option. It was however a lovely setting for a tasting as you sit down in a room with stone walls that almost feels like a cave – and I do love a scenic setting for a tasting!
So if you like a dram or two and have a fascination for history – then don’t miss the Casks & Closes tour!
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