Edinburgh Cape Society

Wed 26 May 2021: Whisky Distilling In Leith; During this year's May Manor, we'll walk a route which takes in a few locations closely linked to whisky distilling in Leith.
Expect to visit streets from Bonnington to Leith Links and hear mention of Crabbie's, VAT 69, Highland Queen, Haig and maybe David Beckham.
The Manor will end with a few drams at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), The Vaults, Leith. Unfortunately, The Society is limited to five members occupying an outside table from 18:30 to 20.30.; Meet on Bonnington Bridge at 17.00. We'll leave the bridge by 17.05.
Guests welcome (but will most likely only be able to join the walk, sadly not the table at the SMWS).

Report

Mark, Martin, Colin and Steve congregted on Bonnington Bridge on a showery day in Edinburgh. Fortunately, the brief deluges had passed and the talk-n-walk event passed off nice 'n' dry. From the bridge, Steve kicked-off by pointing out part of the right-hand side of the downstream riverbank now bristling with new flats and asked Knights to keep it in mind for later on the walk. A short wander around in to Graham Street, Knights found the entrance to the new John Crabbie & Co distilery. The gates were a little open so Knights were able to see the main yard and a lot of barrels. Very teasing. Steve explained a few points about the construction of the distillery when, among other things, a borehole to an aquifer was drilled and some evidence of the Siege of Leith was found. Had Steve's knowledge of local routes been up to date, the next steps would've been back to Bonningtone Bridge followed by a short walk along the Water of Leith Walkway to an opening on to Haig Lane (later pointed out by Martin), as it happened, the wander along Bowling Green Street and Anderson Place gave Colin the opportunity to wonder and salivate over the content of a busted caravan filled with broken furniture and other rubbish. Haig Lane was the next stop where, inevitably, David Beckham was mentioned, as well as the Haig brothers who built a distillery on the banks of the Water of Leith around 1800. This was on the spot Steve pointed out to Knights while they stood on Bonnington Bridge. Mark rightly highlighted the prevalence of all things Diageo in relation to whisky: it now owns the Haig brand. The party wandered down the Water Of Leith Walkway whilst listening to Steve impart whisky-related tales of witches, drunken monkeys, illicit distilling, rare whisky and parrots. There was also some chat about how whisky came about in the first place as well as the manufacuring process now and in the distant past. Knights talked over the Crabbie's distillery at Yardheads as well as the company's ginger wine product and, after a pleasant stroll, emerged from the walkway on to Commercial Street where Steve produced an old picture showing when "Highland Queen" (a Macdonald & Muir (now Glenmorangie) brand whisky) was emblazoned across the outside of the Bond 9 warehouse. Visits to the new Port of Leith Distillery as well as Maritime and Mitchell Street were postponed in favour of arriving at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, Leith at the allotted time of 18.30 where Phil joined the fun and the delightful tipples of Salt N Sauce (cask 53.370), Wasabi Derby (cask 108.33), Nuts on a workbench (cask 64.107) and chips were all gratefully savoured, courtesy of Cape funds. The evening came to a close at chucking out time around 22.00 when Phil kindly invited Knights back to his for a Knight cap: almost certainly one tipple too far but an offer that Steve and Mark gratefully accepted: que Easy Rider.

The evening was a great success, thanks to dry weather, good company and excellent whisky.

Thanks to everyone who contributed by turning up and joining in the educational fun.