The Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience: Edinburgh Tourist Attraction

Today I wanted to share some thoughts on the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience that I teased in my previous post reviewing the Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel. It's probably not the done thing to start with a summary but the best way I can describe this to you is, imagine how you'd like to book a tour of the Guinness Factory when you go to Dublin, this is a facsimile to that. 

Yet it's not a place where you simply get tutored on how to drink whisky, or pairing whisky. I've been to plenty of whisky tastings and they can start to homogenise after a time. I'm often left with a lot of information, but little experience. This is something different entirely. Almost like winning a Willy Wonka ticket. 

First of you come to realise that Whisky is for everyone. Not just for connoisseurs, not for the elite. Whisky doesn't have to be drunk neat without ice as the snobs will tell you. Imagine whisky being a movie going experience. Do you have to watch the art house flicks every time? Does everything have to be critiqued and put on a par with Citizen Kane? There's always room in life for hamburgers, or in this case, whisky cocktails. 

The best moments were the story telling offered by actors on hand to guide you through the journey of Johnnie Walker. Some people cried at this. The rooftop offers some of the most gorgeous picturesque views over Edinburgh and Edinburgh castle. 

As you may have seen from the photos on the gallery on the Johnnie Walker Princes Street site, the real centre piece is the stunning installations at the Explorers' Bothy bar. Long translucent glass tubes filled 2/3'rds with faded orange and auburn liquids, gathered in a circular cage structure, encircled by pine strips that taper from the top down like a whirlpool. Giving the sense that the lavish structure is in constant flow. Led by one of their whisky specialists in our Explorers' Bothy bar, this sensory experience offers a curated exploration of Scottish whiskies, each matured a minimum of 12 years. 

It's a sensory experience. It's audio, it's visual and of course it's taste. It's perfect for first dates, business meetings, and city adventures if you're just in town for a day or two. Tickets are £25 and it's something of a must if you're coming to Edinburgh.