Bramble
16a Queen Street
When Bramble first appeared on Edinburgh’s dimly lit late-night drinks scene, it delivered a shot of sophistication. Craft cocktails are mixed with the finesse of an alchemist and the rarely changing menu is tried and tested. The signature Bramble cocktail is a must-have.

Chancho
7 Bernard Street 
Tequila, mezcal and all things agave, Chancho’s cocktails are piquante and refreshing, conjuring up the heat and colour of Mexico even on the coldest night. Edinburgh's only agave-focused cocktail bar will serve you  perfectly citrussy yuzu Margarita (or a lagerita if you fancy a half-and-half twist), a suitably weighty Chancho Old Fashioned and, frankly delicious, tequila Martini.

Hey Palu
49 Bread Street
One of the owners hails from the Amalfi Coast so the Negroni selection at Hey Palu is particularly good, but the gin Martini could give them a run for their money. The focus is cocktails, with an Italian twist on nearly all the innovative signatures, but plates of cured meat and cheese from the length of Italy provide some delicious sustenance for boozy sessions.

The Lucky Liquor Co
39a Queen Street
From the same folk as Bramble and The Last Word Saloon, this almost-understated New Town spot has a deliberately tiny back-bar encouraging a less-is-more attitude to mixology, resulting in some of Scotland’s best, and most consistent, cocktails.

Panda & Sons
79 Queen Street
The OG Edinburgh speakeasy-style cocktail bar has secured a place on many a ‘best bars in the world’ list since it opened in 2013. Masquerading as a barber’s shop, descend the stairs to find a fun, secret cocktail bar where drinks are created with the precision of a Michelin-starred chef. Their experiments in freezing techniques are lauded by mixology geeks, but even the most casual cocktail drinker will find something delicious here.

The Wildcat
11–13 Tarvit Street
Low-lit and intimate, this tucked-away cocktail bar on Tarvit Street still feels like a local secret. They’ll do you all the classics with finesse but the menu is all about their inventive signatures: a yuzu-flavoured gin number, and rum with apricot, pineapple and absinthe. Keeping it accessible, there’s usually something on the blackboard around the £5 mark.

Also try... aperitivo-focussed Bittersweet, rum specialist Ruma, and sleek Three Marys. 

This TipList is taken from Eat & Drink 365, our sister mag recommending the best in restaurants, bars, cafés and more across Edinburgh. Want a copy? It’s available online or across all good stockists in Scotland’s capital.