A short walk from Le Monde Hotel, set across 8 floors, is the Johnnie Walker Whisky Visitor Experience which is opening in late Summer 2021. The attraction will feature sensory tasting rooms, personalised tour and tasting experiences, rooftop bars and live performance areas. It is sure to become one of Edinburgh’s top things to do giving visitors the chance to explore the flavours of Scotland!
Located on the West End of Princes Street, next door to Angels Share Hotel, the Edinburgh venue has had a £150m investment to transform it into the capital’s top attraction. The new attraction will occupy the former 8 floor Frasers Building and is geared at attracting visitors to the city who might not go out of their way to seek out a distillery, but could be enticed to enjoy a dram as they are visiting Scotland’s capital.
The centre piece of the attraction, which features rooftop access with views of the city, as well as retail space on the first floor, will be a multi-sensory, immersive visitor experience across three floors. The experience will take visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker, explain how whisky is made, and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland.
Whisky from Diageo’s distilleries all over Scotland contribute to Johnnie Walker, but four distilleries – Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish – will be linked directly to the Johnnie Walker venue in Edinburgh, representing the ‘four corners of Scotland’ and the regional flavour variations crucial to the art of whisky blending. Together these sites will create a unique Johnnie Walker tour of Scotland, encouraging visitors to the capital city to also travel to the country’s extraordinary rural communities.
The ground-floor retail space is home to the personalisation area. Guests can customise their bottles with engraving and bespoke label printing services, making the perfect gift or memento. There will also be the opportunity to bottle your own special edition Johnnie Walker in the custom studio, offering an exclusive liquid only available at Princes Street in the heart of Edinburgh. For whisky enthusiasts, visitors can shop an incredible range of some of Scotland’s rarest and most exceptional whiskies. As well as offering an incredible selection of whisky, the Johnnie Walker emporium will sell a range of store-exclusive branded garments and accessories, such as sustainably sourced clothing, home accessories and bar tools, as part of the lifestyle boutique at Princes Street. Visitors will also be able to shop highball ingredients and cocktail kits to create their favourite Johnnie Walker serves at home.
As you travel up through the building on your personalised tour learning and exploring this first of a kind attraction it will offer something different to every visitor. At the top of the attraction the roof will feature a cocktail bar and outdoor terrace with stunning views of the world famous castle.
Not only have Diageo, the company behind the Johnnie Walker brand, renovated one of Princes Streets largest building back to its former glory they have also restored one of Edinburgh’s best-known landmarks, which for decades had been a romantic meeting place for lovers and couples. Binn’s Clock, which protrudes from the west-facing corner of the new Johnnie Walker Princes Street building, was a well-known meeting spot for couples for over five decades. Now the clock will play again, accompanied by the fully restored marching pipers, on the corner of Princes Street.
Johnnie Walker Whisky Visitor Experience will create an unforgettable experience for every person who walks through its doors.
After leaving the attraction the whisky journey doesn’t need to end since Angels Share Hotel, Bar & Restaurant is located next door and has plenty of Scottish Charm and Whisky connections. Angels Share, stocks an impressive range of premium whisky, cocktails that prominently feature Scottish products, live music and food showcasing the finest modern cuisine made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Back at Le Monde Hotel, as you to recover from your day exploring the flavours of Scotland, if you wish to continue the theme of your Whisky experience why not order room service and order one of our Johnnie Walker Whisky cocktails or if you have had enough Whisky sample a non Whisky cocktail from the spectacular modern cocktail menu we offer.