The Abbey Whisky Bar
65 South Clerk Street
With up to 700 whiskies on the back bar at any one time, including a selection of their own single cask bottlings, The Abbey is a fine place for a dram. Or a flight, which are curated by region, age, decade or distillery or groupings like blends, grains, own bottlings, and a ‘once they’re gone, they’re gone’ list. 

Athletic Arms
1-3 Angle Park Terrace
Better known as Diggers, this Polwarth institution likes its sport, showing everything from darts to dogs. It has a wonderful whisky offering at great prices and when you see folks in high vis and suits in the same bar, you know you’ve found a melting pot.

The Belfry
1-3 Barclay Place
A bar for locals as well as whisky enthusiasts, their selection of around 100 bottles may be small but it’s a well curated one. Featuring one-of-a-kind and independent bottlings, sought out from auction sites, the bar’s ethos is to offer good drams that that you might not find elsewhere.

The Black Cat
168 Rose Street
Claiming to be the only independent public house on Rose Street, the modest size of this one-roomed pub belies its heft as a whisky bar. As an Ardbeg ‘embassy’ it offers special edition bottlings from the Islay distillery venerated by peatheads the world over. You’ll also find whiskies from independent bottlers to explore, as well as pub classics: cask ales, trad music nights and a pub quiz.

Café Royal
19 West Register Street
Café Royal has been in the same building since 1863, with the venerable adjoining oyster bar famous for its shellfish and Arbroath smokies, stained glass windows and ceramic tiles. The classic bar has an excellent 11-page long whisky list, representing all the regions of Scotland, with a nod to the ‘rest of the world’ and helpful highlighted dram suggestions for the indecisive from the bar team. 

The Last Word Saloon
44 St Stephen Street
Dark and moody is the order of the day at this subterranean saloon, with flickering candlelight creating a snug vibe. With a fine list of single malts, blends and world whiskies as well as flights and a strong cocktail showing (with curated concoctions to please both aficionados and novices) it offers an ideal spot for a night cap.

Also try... either of the two Teuchters bars in town, the tucked-away Devil's Advocate or Leith’s sultry Nauticus.

 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. Main picture: Johanna Derry Hall.