Kaleidoscope Bar named best on the planet for whisky
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Kaleidoscope Bar in Edinburgh has been named the Icons of Whisky’s Global Whisky Bar of the Year.
The announcement was made at Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards 2022 in London – a huge achievement for the SMWS and superb timing as we head into a restriction-free summer.
The journey of discovery when tasting whisky can be overwhelming but Kaleidoscope Bar offers something quite magical for both SMWS members and non-members compared to rival whisky experiences. From the bar’s remarkable and captivating building to offering guests can’t-buy-anywhere-else whiskies and experiences, a visit to the bar is a must for all whisky adventurers in the city.
Kaleidoscope Bar is a warm, welcoming whisky bar located on the ground floor of 28 Queen Street, an elegant four-story Georgian town house. The award-winning bar is open to all, offering welcome deals to not-yet-members including membership and a bottle for £99.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s focus is always on flavour and Kaleidoscope Bar love to experiment with sensory elements to enhance the enjoyment of drinking whisky.
Every visit brings something different with a new selection of rare whiskies to explore almost every week alongside creative food pairings, music matches, one-of-a-kind cask cocktails to playing with aroma. A recent collaboration with Kingdom Scotland, Scotland’s first fragrance house, incorporated guests’ olfactory systems to show how your sense of smell is key to discovery when enjoying whisky.
Kaleidoscope Bar’s expertly trained staff guide visitors through the colourful world of SMWS whiskies and recommend the best dram for them based on their flavour preferences.
Advertisment
The bar is home to an ever-changing collection of more than 500 exclusive single malts from Scotland and beyond – the SMWS recently celebrated its 150th distillery release, from Ireland. The bar also offers the finest craft beers, artisanal spirits, cocktails and wines.
The 28 Queen Street venue hosts a busy programme of colourful whisky tasting experiences, previews of new SMWS bottlings, one-off whisky events and masterclasses as well as private bookings.
Sarah Prior, venue manager at 28 Queen Street, said: ‘To win Global Whisky Bar of the Year is an outstanding achievement and to gain that highest level of recognition is amazing. We pride ourselves on being a warm and welcoming bar with expertise in whisky, but Kaleidoscope is a fantastic bar for anyone to visit, whatever their level of whisky knowledge. If you’re a whisky lover already, it’s a must-visit location.
‘The passion our staff have for the Society is embodied in our friendly and first-class service. Being open to non-members gives us the chance to show this love for the world’s most colourful whisky club.
‘From ever-changing unique single malt and one-of-a-kind single cask drams to a range of summer cocktails and delicious bar snacks, there’s something to please every guest. As we welcome more visitors to our beautiful city over the summer months, Kaleidoscope Bar will be the place to visit in Edinburgh for locals and tourists alike.’
Find out more about visiting Kaleidoscope Bar HERE.
