Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

The Scotch Whisky Experience stands in a former Victorian school on Castlehill, part of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in the Old Town. The building itself dates from 1889 and was designed by Robert Wilson in Scots Baronial style with red Corncockle sandstone. It sits beside the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before becoming a school, the site housed Gordon House, home of the 1st Duke of Gordon. The school closed in 1951 and later served as a catering college and council office. The attraction is worth the journey because it brings together whisky history and culture in one place. Since 2009 it has housed the Diageo Claive Vidiz Whisky Collection, one of the world’s largest archival collections of Scotch. The centre was created in the 1980s by whisky industry figures who wanted to share their craft with visitors who could not travel to the Highlands. Nineteen companies invested £2 million to launch the project in 1988. Today it welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year and has won awards for education and visitor experience. Inside, visitors find guided tours that explore the art and science of whisky making. The lower floors hold the Amber Restaurant & Whisky Bar, serving Scottish food alongside more than 360 whiskies. A specially designed glass and marble vault displays the Claive Vidiz collection of sealed bottles. The building also contains a gift shop and spaces for private tastings. Outside, the restored unicorn sculptures on the roof recall the site’s earlier history.