Evolution of Gin and Underground Gin Tasting in Edinburgh | 1hr

Edinburgh’s Lost Close gives this gin tasting its character. You meet above ground at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, then follow your guide below the Old Town into vaulted rooms that once formed part of Scotland’s first purpose-built bank, later served as a prison, and eventually disappeared from sight for years. Down there, four gins mark the spirit’s long route from early distillation to modern Scottish bottles.

I like two things in particular: the tasting is built around stories rather than a quick flight of drinks, and the group is capped at 10 people, which leaves room for questions. The guides, including Sara and Dan, are praised for their humor and clear explanations. The main drawback is simple: at about $37.29 for only one hour, this is not the right pick if you want a long distillery tour or a large number of contemporary gins.

Key points

• A tasting below Edinburgh’s Old Town: The Lost Close is a vaulted underground venue with an unusual past as a bank and prison.
• Four gins with a purpose: Each sample connects to a stage in gin’s development, rather than appearing as a random flight.
• A compact one-hour format: It fits neatly into a busy Edinburgh day, though the short session limits how far the discussion can go.
• Small groups up to 10: You get a more personal setting for questions and conversation.
• Good for gin newcomers: The route through aqua vitae, Dutch genever, distillation, botanicals, and modern Scottish gin gives you a useful starting point.
• Flexible cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund.

Why The Lost Close makes this more than a standard tasting

Many gin tastings are mainly about comparing bottles. This one uses the setting and the drinks to tell a story. That difference matters if you want to understand why gin tastes the way it does, not just decide which glass you prefer.

The Lost Close is the first part of that story. The space lies beneath Edinburgh’s Old Town, near the passageways around St Giles. It began as the first purpose-built bank in Scotland, was later used as a prison, and was then lost for years before being uncovered during recent work on the building. You are not tasting in a polished modern bar or a working distillery. You are sitting in a vaulted underground room with a past of its own.

That setting helps explain the tone. The experience is casual, social, and story-led. You may hear about the building, Edinburgh, early spirits, and the less respectable beginnings of gin, all in the same sitting. I like that the venue is not just a backdrop for photographs. It gives the session a sense of place.

You meet your guide upstairs at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, at 1a Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. Your guide then leads the group below ground and returns you to the same meeting point at the end. Pay attention to the exact starting point, since the activity begins at the coffee house rather than at a separate street entrance to the underground rooms.

Four glasses tracing gin from aqua vitae to Scotland

The tasting follows the evolution of gin, beginning with the early history of distillation and moving through the spirits that shaped modern gin. One part of the story includes aqua vitae, an early distilled drink. Another brings in Dutch genever, a spirit closely tied to gin’s development. From there, the discussion reaches the modern Scottish gins that have helped give the category its current range.

The four samples are chosen to show differences in style and development. The point is not simply to give you four similar juniper-led drinks. You taste gins that represent different profiles and periods, with the guide explaining why each one belongs in the sequence.

That makes the tasting useful even if you do not consider yourself a gin drinker. One participant arrived with limited enthusiasm for gin and left with a better sense of its variety. You may find the same thing happens if your only reference point is a familiar gin and tonic.

The guide also explains distillation and the use of botanicals. Botanicals are the herbs, spices, fruit, flowers, and other flavoring ingredients that help shape a gin’s character. You will not simply be told that one sample is floral or another is spicy. The conversation connects those flavors to the way gin is made and to the spirit’s changing style over time.

The gins are mixed to suit your tastes. That is helpful if you are still learning what you like, though the supplied details do not specify the exact mixers or serving sizes. If you have strong preferences, tell your guide early. The small-group format should make that conversation easy.

Sara, Dan, and the value of a good storyteller

The guide can make or break a history-based tasting. Here, the strongest praise centers on the hosts’ humor, warmth, and ability to explain a complicated subject without making it feel like a lecture.

Sara, sometimes referred to as Sarah in booking comments, is especially associated with this session. She is described as an energetic storyteller who brings together Old Town history, gin production, folklore, and jokes. Dan is also praised for explaining the origins of each gin and making the session relaxed and entertaining.

That style suits the one-hour length. There is not time for a full course in spirits, so the guide needs to select the useful parts and keep the pace moving. The best version of this experience seems to balance facts with conversation. You can ask questions about the drinks, talk through what you are tasting, and still follow the larger story.

The small group helps here. With a maximum of 10 people, you are less likely to sit silently while a guide gives the same speech to a crowded room. You can discuss the samples and compare reactions with the people around you. This is one reason I think the format works well for couples, friends, and solo visitors who enjoy a social activity.

Do not expect the guide to spend the full hour discussing only Scottish gin. The focus is wider: the history of distillation, the development of gin, the building, and the later rise of modern Scottish producers. That broad approach is a strength if you want context, but it may disappoint you if you want a detailed comparison of current Scottish brands.

What the one-hour itinerary feels like

The itinerary has one main stop, The Lost Close, but the session has several clear stages.

You begin at John’s Coffee House & Tavern. The meeting point is in Parliament Square, a central Old Town location near St Giles and public transportation. Your guide meets you there and leads you into the underground venue. One useful tip is to arrive with enough time to identify the coffee house, since the underground room is not the starting point.

Once below ground, the venue becomes part of the introduction. You learn how this space changed from bank to prison, then vanished before being rediscovered. The old vaults and passageways give the tasting a slightly mysterious feel without turning it into a theatrical ghost tour. The atmosphere is historical, but the activity remains focused on gin.

The tasting then moves through four samples. Your guide links each drink to a stage in gin’s story and explains the relevant methods, ingredients, and influences. You are encouraged to taste carefully, but this is not a formal sommelier lesson. The mood is friendly and conversational.

At the end, the group returns upstairs to the original meeting point. Since the entire activity lasts about an hour, you can place it between other Old Town plans. It works well as an afternoon stop or an early-evening activity, though the available start times are not specified here.

Is $37.29 fair for four gins?

At $37.29 per person, you are paying for more than four drinks. The price includes a small-group setting, a guide, access to an unusual underground venue, and a structured explanation of how gin developed. For someone who values atmosphere and context, that is a fair package.

If you judge a tasting by the number of pours alone, the value looks less impressive. Four samples in one hour is a modest amount compared with some long distillery visits. You also should not book this expecting a full meal, a bottle to take home, or an extended production tour. None of those are part of the stated activity.

I think the price makes the most sense for a first visit to Edinburgh, especially if you want an activity that combines local history with a drink. You get a compact introduction to a subject that can otherwise feel technical and scattered. It also offers an alternative to visiting a standard distillery, since the emphasis is on the spirit’s development rather than on one producer’s operation.

The average booking lead time is about 27 days. That suggests you should plan ahead, especially if your Edinburgh dates are fixed. The high 4.9 rating from 59 reviews and 98 percent recommendation figure also point to strong demand, but the practical reason to book early is the 10-person limit.

Who should book this Edinburgh gin tasting?

You should consider it if you enjoy history with your drinks. The session gives you a route through aqua vitae, genever, distillation, botanicals, and present-day Scottish gin. You do not need advanced knowledge of spirits. The guide explains the subject in an approachable way.

It also suits people who want a low-effort activity on arrival day. One-hour sessions are easier to fit around jet lag than a long excursion, and the underground room offers a change of pace from Edinburgh’s streets. You can sit, listen, taste, and talk without giving up half a day.

Gin fans will appreciate the unusual samples and the chance to taste styles they might not otherwise encounter. But you do not need to be a committed gin drinker. The historical approach gives the experience a reason to exist beyond simply sampling fashionable bottles.

I would be more cautious if you dislike underground spaces, want a large tasting flight, or prefer to see the actual production process. The Lost Close is the attraction, but it is also the setting for the whole session. You may find the vaulted room cozy, or you may prefer an open, modern distillery.

The activity is offered in English. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The supplied information does not give detailed access notes for the underground rooms, so contact the provider before booking if stairs, flooring, or underground access are important concerns.

Practical details before you book

The experience is offered by The Lost Close, Events & Experiences. You receive confirmation when you book, and the activity accepts mobile tickets, so you can keep the booking on your phone.

The meeting point is John’s Coffee House & Tavern at 1a Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. The activity ends back there after the underground session. Since the guide meets you upstairs, do not go directly searching for a separate entrance below street level.

The maximum group size is 10. That is small enough for conversation but not necessarily private. If you are traveling with friends, you may share the room with other people.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. Inside that window, no refund is offered, and changes are not accepted. Cut-off times use local Edinburgh time.

My verdict: book it for stories, not quantity

I would book this if I wanted a compact Old Town activity with a strong sense of place. The Lost Close, the route from aqua vitae to modern Scottish gin, and the engaging guides give the hour more substance than a basic four-drink flight.

I would skip it if my main goal were a long distillery visit, a production tour, or a large selection of current gin brands. At $37.29, the value comes from the setting and storytelling as much as from the samples.

For most people who enjoy gin, local history, or unusual Edinburgh venues, this is an easy activity to fit into a day. Even if gin is not your usual drink, the structured story and small group give you a fair chance to find a style you like.

FAQ

Where does the gin tasting begin?

It begins at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, 1a Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF, UK. Your guide meets you upstairs and leads you to The Lost Close.

How long does the experience last?

The tasting lasts approximately one hour.

How many gins will I taste?

You will taste four different gins, mixed to suit your tastes.

What is special about The Lost Close?

The underground venue was once the first purpose-built bank in Scotland. It was later converted into a prison, then disappeared for years before being uncovered in recent times.

What language is the activity offered in?

The experience is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. Cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.