Drinking Culture

Scotland is known worldwide as whisky country. In many Lowland pubs, the gin bottle still stands beside a long whisky menu, not in front of it. That's changed since the turn of the millennium. In Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town, bars have opened devoted entirely to gin, with dozens of varieties and their own tonic recommendations for each.

A slice of cucumber traditionally accompanies Hendrick's from Girvan, in place of the usual lemon or lime. The brand itself has promoted this way of serving it since its 1999 launch. By now, it's become something of a small standard in many bars.

Edinburgh Gin takes visitors straight through the production process at its own distillery. Drinks are also served there, according to the company, with rotating seasonal gins. Some of these never make it to regular retail.

Gin and tonic is served today mostly in the large, round-bellied balloon glass. It leaves room for plenty of ice and for the aromas of the tonic. In older establishments, the smaller, straight glass still turns up alongside it. It used to serve for every whisky and every gin alike.

At New Year, the Hogmanay festival fills the streets of Edinburgh with processions and fireworks well past midnight, and on these nights the gin bars of the New Town fill up to the last standing spot.

So on the same streets, old whisky habits meet new gin bars, side by side in the same buildings. Both draw on the same copper, standing only a few miles away.