Rooftop Port of Leith Distillery Bar in Edinburgh

Port of Leith Distillery Bar: whisky with a view over the Leith waterfront

At the top of a vertical distillery

On Whisky Quay, a few steps from the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, the Port of Leith Distillery stacks its facilities over nine floors, in a tall dark tower that can be spotted from afar across the port. The bar occupies the top level: a lift takes you straight up, and there is no need to have done the tour to sit down at a table. Behind the large windows, the view stretches over the Leith docks, the city and the Firth of Forth.

A menu focused on young whiskies

The menu showcases more than 250 whiskies aged ten years or less, from Scotland and beyond and arranged by flavour profile, alongside the house spirits. A 25 ml dram starts at £5.50, and tasting flights are available from £15. Cocktails cost £10 to £14, alcohol-free cocktails £5 to £7, and craft beers and wines by the glass complete the offering. In the kitchen, a menu of dishes and small plates accompanies the drinks.

The tour as an option

To find out what goes on in the floors below, the distillery offers a 90-minute guided tour with tasting, to be booked separately. The bar, for its part, is self-sufficient: you can simply drop in for a drink at the end of the day or for a light meal facing the port.

Practical information

The bar is open from Wednesday to Sunday from noon, until 9pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays; it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The kitchen serves from Thursday to Sunday. Booking is recommended, although a few tables remain available for walk-ins; for groups of nine or more, you need to contact the bar. A discretionary service charge of 12.5% is added to the bill. The areas open to the public have step-free access. Edinburgh Trams: Ocean Terminal stop, a few minutes' walk away.