Edinburgh: Gin Tasting at Underground Venue

The best part of this Edinburgh tasting happens before the first sip: you go underground into The Lost Close, an atmospheric old venue just off the Royal Mile. In a setting that feels far removed from the busy street above, your guide traces gin from Jenever to Old Tom, Navy Strength, and London Dry.

I like the tasting’s mix of four distinct gins and hands-on mixing. You choose from different tonics and garnishes, so you can test what suits your palate instead of simply receiving four fixed drinks. I also like the storytelling. Guides such as Sarah, Sara, Nicky, and Dan have made the history lively, with guests praising the humor and clear explanations.

The main consideration is the one-hour length. It is enough time for a focused introduction and four samples, but not a long distillery visit or a full evening of cocktails. You also need to meet outside John’s Coffee House and Tavern, not inside the underground venue itself.

Key points to know before booking

• The Lost Close adds real atmosphere: You taste gin underground, including in a setting that one visitor described as an old jail cell.
• Four gins cover different styles: The session explores the evolution from Jenever through Old Tom, Navy Strength, and London Dry.
• You build your own serves: Tonics and garnishes are provided, letting you make each drink stronger, lighter, sharper, or more refreshing.
• The guide is central to the experience: Sarah is repeatedly praised for her humor and storytelling, while Sara, Nicky, and Dan have also led well-received sessions.
• The location is easy to reach: Meet just off the Royal Mile, behind St Giles Cathedral on Parliament Square.
• This is an adult activity: It lasts one hour, is conducted in English, and is not suitable for anyone under 18, pregnant women, or babies under one year.

Entering The Lost Close beneath Parliament Square

You begin outside John’s Coffee House and Tavern, just behind St Giles Cathedral on Parliament Square. That puts you in the middle of Edinburgh’s Old Town, within easy reach of the Royal Mile, but the experience quickly leaves the ordinary city tour behind.

From the meeting point, the group heads underground to The Lost Close. The venue is a major part of the appeal. You are not sitting in a bright modern tasting room with rows of bottles on display. You are below the street in a place with a more unusual feel, and the old setting gives the talk a theatrical edge.

That atmosphere matters because this is not only a drinks class. The stories about gin and Scotland land differently when you are seated in an old underground space. One person specifically enjoyed sipping gin while hearing about its past in an old jail cell. That kind of setting gives the hour a sense of occasion without requiring a full evening show.

You should still keep your expectations sensible. The supplied details do not promise a long tour of the underground site or access to every part of it. The attraction is the exclusive access connected with the tasting, along with the atmosphere and storytelling that take place there.

The first chapter: from Jenever to early gin

The guide begins with gin’s earliest origins and follows the spirit’s changes over time. The first style named is Jenever, giving you a useful starting point for understanding how gin developed rather than treating it as one fixed drink.

This historical approach is a good fit if you like to know why a drink tastes the way it does. Instead of sampling four unrelated brands, you get a story about changing methods, styles, and drinking habits. The point is not just to memorize dates or names. It is to see how the spirit moved from its early forms toward the gin served today.

The Scottish connection is also part of the talk. You learn how gin relates to Scotland and how the spirit changed over the centuries. The exact examples can vary with the guide, but the structure is clear: the session follows gin’s evolution and uses the tastings to make those differences easier to notice.

I would pay attention to the vocabulary here. Terms such as Old Tom, Navy Strength, and London Dry can sound like label language until you taste several styles side by side. The guide explains the terms, then gives you a chance to consider how the drinks differ.

Four gins, four different directions

The tasting includes four different gins. The aim is variety, not four nearly identical pours, so you can compare flavor profiles and begin to work out what you actually enjoy.

For someone who already drinks gin, this is a chance to test familiar preferences against styles you may not have tried. For a newcomer, the progression gives you a friendly introduction without asking you to choose a bottle from a crowded shelf.

The experience is guided rather than purely self-directed. Your host explains the character of each gin and suggests how it works with different mixers. That guidance is especially useful if you normally order by brand name or choose a gin and tonic without thinking much about the balance.

The published details do not name the four specific gins, so you should not book expecting a fixed brand list. The useful promise is variation across styles and an explanation of how each one can be served.

Tonic water gets its own story

Gin often gets all the attention, but the tonic is important here too. You hear how tonic water began as a medicinal drink and later became gin’s familiar partner.

That small piece of background changes the way you approach the tasting. Tonic is not simply a sweet, fizzy addition poured into every glass at the same ratio. Different tonics can push a gin in different directions, and the guide helps you think about the relationship between spirit and mixer.

You receive a variety of tonics along with the gin samples. You can then decide how much mixer to use and how each combination affects the drink. If you prefer a strong, spirit-forward serve, you can keep the tonic lighter. If you like a longer and more refreshing drink, you can add more.

The freedom to mix is one of the strongest practical features of the session. You are not told that there is one correct gin and tonic. You get suggestions, then make your own choices.

Garnishes and personal taste

Garnishes are included, giving you another way to adjust the drinks. The supplied information does not specify which garnishes are used, so the exact selection may vary. What matters is that you have more than one element to consider as you compare the four gins.

This is where the tasting becomes useful beyond the hour itself. You may discover that you prefer a clean, firm gin with less tonic, or a lighter drink with more mixer. You may find that a gin you would not have picked on a menu works well in a different serve.

I like tastings that leave you with a practical takeaway. Here, you can leave with a clearer sense of your own preferences, not just a list of facts about production. That makes the experience useful before your next drink in Edinburgh or at home.

A guide-led hour with a theatrical touch

The guide makes or breaks a tasting, and this experience places a lot of weight on the person leading it. The strongest praise has gone to the hosts’ energy, humor, and storytelling.

Sarah is mentioned often as an entertaining guide who connects the history of both the venue and gin. Sara has also been praised for answering questions after the formal part of the session, while Nicky and Dan are described as friendly and professional. These names do not mean you can request a particular guide or that one person leads every session. They do show the kind of presentation you can expect: conversational, informed, and more lively than a technical lecture.

Several people found the session more educational than expected. That is worth noting if you are booking this for someone who enjoys history but is not deeply interested in gin. The subject gives the guide plenty of room for amusing anecdotes, Scottish connections, and stories about changing styles.

The phrase a bit of theater is a fair way to think about it. The underground venue, the historical setting, and the guide’s delivery all work together. You should expect a performance with information in it, not a formal spirits certification course.

What the one-hour schedule means

At one hour, this is an easy activity to add to an Edinburgh day. You can place it between sightseeing on the Royal Mile and dinner, or use it as a way to start an evening.

The compact schedule is also the clearest limitation. Four tastings, an introduction to gin’s history, an explanation of tonic, and time to mix your drinks require a brisk pace. You will get a concentrated experience rather than a slow afternoon of sampling.

If you want a long meal, a distillery production visit, or a full cocktail workshop, this will feel short. If you want a well-shaped introduction that fits around other plans, the timing works in its favor.

Check the available start times when booking. The activity has set starting times, and no transportation is provided, so you are responsible for reaching the meeting point.

Is $36 a fair price?

The price is $36 per person. For that fee, you receive four gin tastings, tonics, garnishes, an English-speaking expert guide, and exclusive access to The Lost Close.

The value comes from the combination rather than the amount of alcohol. Four small samples alone would not make this a remarkable deal. Add the underground venue, the historical presentation, the mixer comparisons, and the chance to build your own serves, and the price becomes easier to justify.

I see this as good value for three types of people. First, it suits someone who likes gin and wants to compare styles. Second, it works for a couple or small group seeking an unusual Old Town activity. Third, it suits a person who enjoys historical storytelling but wants something less formal than a museum visit.

It is less useful if you only want a quick drink in a memorable bar. You are paying for the guide’s time and the organized presentation, so someone who has no interest in learning about gin may prefer to spend the same money on a cocktail elsewhere.

The overall score is 4.9 from 84 reviews, with nearly all supplied ratings giving five stars and two giving four. The praise centers on the host, the unusual venue, the variety of gins, and the amount learned in a short time. That pattern gives you a clear clue about where the experience earns its price.

Who should book this Edinburgh gin tasting?

I would recommend it to adults who enjoy small-group activities with a story attached. It is especially good for couples, friends, and solo visitors who like meeting others in a relaxed setting.

It also works well for people who are curious but not yet confident about gin. You do not need to arrive with a strong opinion about London Dry or Navy Strength. The guide explains the terms, and the mixing element lets you try the drinks in a way that matches your own taste.

History fans have a reason to book too. The talk covers gin’s connection with Scotland and the history of The Lost Close, giving the experience more substance than a standard bar tasting.

You should reconsider if you are pregnant, under 18, or traveling with a baby under one year. Smoking is not allowed indoors. The activity is conducted in English, so you should be comfortable following an English-language talk.

The provided information does not describe accessibility arrangements, seating details, or the exact route underground. If those points matter to you, ask the provider before booking rather than assuming the old venue will suit every mobility need.

Practical advice for getting the most from the hour

Arrive at the stated meeting point outside John’s Coffee House and Tavern, not at a separate entrance to The Lost Close. The location is just off the Royal Mile, behind St Giles Cathedral on Parliament Square.

I would allow enough time to find Parliament Square, especially if you are coming through the Old Town’s crowded streets. You do not need transport as part of the activity, and none is included, so plan to walk or arrange your own way there.

Come ready to taste at different strengths. The point of the session is not to rush through four identical pours. Listen to the guide’s suggestions, then compare a lighter tonic serve with a stronger one. You may learn more from adjusting the mixer than from simply drinking each sample straight.

It is also worth asking questions. The guides have been praised for staying longer to answer them when time allowed. That is not a guarantee for every session, but an engaged group can make the talk more rewarding.

Finally, treat the venue as part of the experience. The underground setting is not just a backdrop for the gin. It gives the hour its Edinburgh character and helps explain why this feels different from a tasting in a hotel bar.

Should you book The Lost Close gin tasting?

Book it if you want four varied gins, a spirited history lesson, and an unusual underground setting in one compact activity. The strongest reason to choose it is the blend of storytelling and tasting. Sarah, Sara, Nicky, and Dan have all been praised for making the subject funny, clear, and engaging.

Skip it if you want a full distillery tour, a long cocktail class, or a quiet drink with no structured talk. The one-hour format is focused, and the guide-led presentation is central.

For an adult looking for something different near the Royal Mile, I think the $36 price is reasonable. You leave with a better sense of gin’s styles, a clearer idea of how tonic changes a drink, and a memorable story to attach to the evening.

FAQ

Where does the gin tasting meet?

Meet outside John’s Coffee House and Tavern, just off the Royal Mile behind St Giles Cathedral on Parliament Square.

Where does the tasting take place?

The experience takes place underground at The Lost Close, with access included as part of the activity.

How long does the experience last?

The gin tasting lasts one hour.

How many gins are included?

You taste four different gins during the session.

Are tonics and garnishes included?

Yes. Tonics and garnishes are provided, and you mix the drinks to suit your own taste.

Is a guide included?

Yes. An English-speaking live guide leads the experience and explains gin’s production, history, Scottish connections, and different styles.

Is transportation included?

No. You must make your own way to the meeting point.

Who cannot take part?

The activity is not suitable for pregnant women, children under 18, or babies under one year. Smoking is not allowed indoors.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, keeping your travel plans flexible.