There is so much more to whisky than meets the eye. The flavours, the history, the sheer passion that goes into making it. As the national drink of Scotland, whisky can be found in pretty much every place one goes to, yet there is one particularly exclusive establishment that specialises in single malt whiskies and is mostly a members-only event.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is as fancy as it sounds, with two branches in Edinburgh in the city centre and in Leith, having been around for over 40 years. While most of the establishments are exclusively for members only, the Kaleidoscope Bar on the ground floor of the Queen Street venue is open to everyone.
Open six days a week, the Kaleidoscope Bar welcomes both locals and visitors alike who love a decent dram or two in a stunning, opulent setting. With its tall ceilings, dark wood features, large couches and colourful touches, the spot boasts a lavish yet non-pretentious feel.
While not all of the whiskies are available to non-members, visitors are welcome to buy unique, single cask, single malt whiskies from the catalogue to take home starting from £55. The flavours are as unusual as they come, from french fries with bacon dust to gummy bears. And yes, it still tastes like whisky!
And those who just wish to try a dram (or five, but please drink responsibly, folks) will be expertly guided by the staff based on their preferences from the hundreds of bottles to choose from.
However, if you came along with a neat whisky lover yet aren’t into it yourself, get yourself a wee cocktail. The cocktail menu is just as creative, offering concoctions such as the Black Rob Roy with SMWS Sherry cask matured whisky mixed with Averna and a combination of bitters, or the Singapore Sling with SMWS gin, pineapple juice and lemon.
What is more, guests can also indulge in a meal at the Kaleidoscope Bar, as it’s not just for drinks, with the mains costing around £20. The modest, yet quality menu offers delights like Charred Mackerel Fillet with Isle Of Wight tomatoes, tapenade and basil, or the Roast Sea Trout with mussels, coastal vegetables, apple and fennel. There are also steak, lamb and vegetarian options for the mains.
Visitors can also enjoy some beloved pub classics like burgers, fish and chips and haggis, neeps and tatties.
And if the Kaleidoscope Bar is not enough, you can also become a SMWS member and join events all year round by heading to their website.
Please note Kaleidoscope Bar only lets in people aged 18 and over at all times.