All eyes on Edinburgh

Published date01 September 2021
Publication titleEvening Gazette
Well, not just water. Called the Nor Loch, the artificial lake was carved out of the earth beneath Castle Rock in 1460. It was a show of strength and defence, but it also ended up being a roiling maelstrom of human waste. The stench must have been unfathomable.

That rather dank medieval period of history is over, but its handprints are still found across the Scottish capital - and, on our first city break since the Covid pandemic again, it feels a little like we're emerging from a period of bewildering murkiness ourselves. Just taking the train there after work is ridiculously exciting.

Edinburghcertainly feels like it's starting to shrug of f the last 18 months too. The jagged Scott Monument once again swirls with tourists, and the castle looms spectacularly, as if to say, 'I've been waiting for you.'

T' he giddiness of being somewhere new propels us up

Calton Hill. Shimmering grey, Edinburgh's Old and New Towns unravel below, while the Acropolislike pillars of the National Monument compete with the fuzzy green crags of Arthur's Seat.

At brunch spot The Lookout (thelookoutedinburgh.co), the view is as good whether you look up or out. t. he restored observatory cantilevers out over the hill and has panoramic views that almost distract us entirely from the Breakfast Tray. We eat ours - fresh raspberries, smoked salmon, cured meats, sourdough pastries, daintily arranged in delicate bowls that feel very Japanese - as our eyes dance towards the interior ceiling; a towering wooden skylight.

Philip at Edinburgh Gin (edinburghgin.com) wonders if the raspberries were from Perthshire - "the best raspberries in the world" - which are also used in the distillery's Raspberry Gin and Raspberry Gin Liqueur. He takes us through a tasting ("Don't just say, 'I can taste the juniper' - they all have juniper in, and you'll sound like an idiot," he says with a grin), tests us on the flavours of Italian versus North Macedonian juniper (Macedonian is sweeter) and explains that tasting gin first thing in the morning is actually very wise, as that's when your palate is clean and fresh.

He introduces us to their curvy copper stills, Flora and Caledonia, and dismantles the idea that Scotland is solely the land of whisky; there's a legacy of gin here too - in fact, it's argued to be home of the gin and tonic (thank Edinburgh- born physician George Cleghorn). We sip ours and hear how craft distilling became legal in 2009, sparking an explosion in independent gin brands. Edinburgh Gin...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT