Port of Leith whisky celebrate the opening of its headquarters and distillery

The Port of Leith whisky is celebrating the opening of its headquarters and distillery in Edinburgh.

The Port of Leith whisky has the UK’s first vertical distillery and is an uncommon proposition in the drinks and spirits world. The brand, which was set up by lifelong friends, wine merchant Ian Stirling and finance director Paddy Fletcher, is celebrating the opening of its headquarters and distillery in Edinburgh to a design by Glasgow-based architects ThreeSixty.

Placed by the water, the building sits proudly overlooking the sea, spanning nine storeys. Inside, alongside whisky stills and related equipment for the distillation process, visitors can also enjoy a drink at the top-floor mezzanine bar, offering 360-degree views of the surrounding urban realm.

The building will be open for guests from 11 October 2023, and beyond the visitor experience and distillery tours available, there will also be a tasting menu on offer at the bar.

Tours are available from the 11^th of October

Over the course of the 90-minute tour, you will:

Hear the story of the company, and explore the world’s tallest distillery.

Fill your own miniature bottle of their new spirit. Taste their newly made spirits, port, sherry and guest whisky and then enjoy a choice of three cocktails in their top-floor bar after the tour.

About The Port of Leith & Their Approach

Leith, where we’re building our distillery, was once Scotland’s gateway to the world. It’s where wines and spirits from across Europe would arrive in barrels to be decanted into bottles, made locally at the Leith Glass Works.

It’s was also one of the few places to have a Royal Warrant for the bonding of spirits, and as such, vast quantities of Scotch Whisky were matured, blended and bottled in the warehouses that lined our shores, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

This unique environment, where wine merchants rubbed shoulders with whisky merchants, is the reason why we enjoy so many whiskies that have matured in sherry and port casks today. It’s a practice that began in the bonded warehouses of Leith.

We want to make a whisky that represents the place in which it is made, and we began to see that port, sherry and wine casks would ground our spirit in the Port of Leith’s rich local heritage.

Visit their website to learn more about their journey, their whisky and other spirits and plans for the future.

(Image credit: Port of Leith)