Exclusive new whisky tour of Edinburgh launched
As plans for Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery in 90 years and a £150 million pound immersive whisky visitor experience in the historic capital city are announced, award winning storytellers, Mercat Tours are encouraging locals and visitors alike to celebrate World Whisky Day (Saturday 19 May 2018) with their exclusive Edinburgh Tour and Whisky Experience (new for 2018).
Taking place at 4pm every Saturday (including World Whisky Day itself), a kilted Mercat tour guide will tell the true story of the city that founded the world’s largest Scottish whisky company and the people that helped whisky production. At the end of the tour, participants will retire to Megget’s cellar in Edinburgh’s historic Underground Vaults (which can only be accessed on a Mercat Tour) for a complimentary candlelit single malt whisky tasting from Scotland’s four whisky producing regions.
Explaining what people can experience on this new tour, Kat Brogan, Managing Director said:
“Walking around Edinburgh’s historic streets, we will begin by telling the story of how King James IV of Scotland and I of Britain, who has been referred to as the world’s first famous whisky drinker, granted a monopoly to Edinburgh for the manufacture of aqua vitae or whisky. He believed in the medicinal properties of whisky which was produced by the Guild of Surgeon Barbers; it’s just one of the transformations of whisky over the centuries.”
“We’ll also tell our guests about Edinburgh’s role in taking whisky to the rest of the world, how the 19th century changed whisky production in Scotland, and of the locals that embraced whisky, from George Ballantine on South Bridge to Andrew Usher Jr at Nicolson Street, the pioneers that created their own whiskies and exported worldwide.”
Indeed, this Mercat tour will cover everything anyone needs to know about the uisge beatha (the water of life) – from how whisky is made, to the effects that different elements such as water, barley, peat and the cask have on the production process. Participants can nose and taste their way through the whisky regions, with sample whiskies from Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland distilleries.
The tour costs £30 per person and is for adults aged 18+.
Also new for 2018, Mercat Tours has launched a Scottish Storytelling Supper which costs £60 per person, inclusive of all entertainment, 3 course Scottish meal and a dram of Scottish malt whisky.
For more information about Mercat Tours visit: www.mercattours.com
Notes
Mercat Tours is Edinburgh’s original five-star history and ghost tour company. Established over 30 years ago, the company’s accredited guides bring Edinburgh’s stories to life every day.
The company was first established in 1985 by history teacher, Des Brogan, and three other history teachers, when they identified there were no other existing walking tours of Edinburgh. They researched and created four walking tours, with two of them (Secrets of the Royal Mile and Ghosts & Ghouls) still running today.
Today, Mercat Tours is run by Des’ daughter, Kat Brogan, and now offers a wide range of tours to suit any budget, group size and interest.
Mercat Tours is the only Edinburgh tours company with access to The Blair Street Underground Vaults, which were filled with rubble in the early 19th century and were only rediscovered in the 1980s. Since then they’ve become known as one of Edinburgh’s most famous haunted sites and offer a fascinating insight into Edinburgh’s underground life.
Groups are limited to an absolute maximum of 30 people, with tours running every day and in all weather. With each tour leaving from the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile in the heart of the city, visitors will find the city’s shops and restaurants within easy reach. Tours vary in length from 45 minutes to two hours, with specially tailored tours available for groups.
All tours leave from the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile – next to St Giles Cathedral.
There are tours for every generation (from age 5 and up).
More information on the accessibility on Mercat Tours can be found in its Access Statement.
French, German, Italian and Spanish tours are also available for a limited number of tours. Written translations are also available in Russian and Mandarin.
Awards
VisitScotland Five Star rating – first achieved in 2007 and maintained ever since The Green Tourism Business Scheme – awarded gold every year since 2012 for the company’s commitment to the environment and economic sustainability.
Scottish Business in the Community – named SME of the Year in 2014 for the company’s commitment to improving Scots’ lives.
Scottish Thistle Award 2016 – recognised for Skills and Training Development, as a third of Mercat Tours team members have been with the company for over 10 years.
Photography
A range of images of Mercat Tours can be found in this Dropbox
Social Media Platforms
Mercat Tours can be found on the following platforms:
www.facebook.com/MercatTours/
www.twitter.com/mercattoursltd
www.instagram.com/mercattours/
www.youtube.com/user/MercatToursLtd
