Pickering’s Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour

Gin, but make it a craft lesson. At Edinburgh’s Summerhall Distillery, you get to see award-winning Pickering’s gin being made, taste the core range, and leave with a personalized 5cl bottle sealed with wax.

I really like the setting. You’re touring inside the old Veterinary College at Summerhall, with the stills named Emily and Gertrude part of the story. I also like the hands-on finish, because waxing your own miniature bottle turns a normal tasting into something you can actually bring home.

One thing to consider: the whole experience is about 1 hour, so it’s focused and compact. If you want a long, super-technical distillery session, this format may feel a bit brief.

Key takeaways before you go

• Small group size (max 12) keeps the tasting and Q&A from feeling rushed
• Summerhall’s old Vet College gives the tour a real sense of place in Edinburgh
• Stills named Emily and Gertrude make the distilling process easier to follow
• Tasting the four core gins gives you a clear baseline for what Pickering’s does best
• Wax your own 5cl bottle is a fun souvenir that feels personal

Summerhall’s old Vet College sets the tone for a focused gin tour

This is a short, friendly Edinburgh gin tour with a clear goal: show you how Pickering’s gin gets made, taste the core line, and send you home with your own sealed bottle. The pace is quick, but it doesn’t feel chaotic. You’re guided step by step, and the small-group limit makes it easy to ask questions without shouting across a big room.

The location is part of the charm. Summerhall is known for repurposed, historic spaces, and this stop is specifically the former Veterinary College building. That matters because you get a little more than “here’s a machine, here’s a process.” You’re in a building with a past, so the tour story feels grounded. Even if gin isn’t your usual drink, the setting makes the experience feel like a real place, not just a tasting room.

The other thing I like is how the tour is organized around names and visuals. The distillery includes stills called Emily and Gertrude, and having named equipment helps you remember what you’re seeing. It’s a small detail, but it makes the whole tour easier to connect to.

How the hour plays out, from seeing gin-making to waxing your bottle

The experience starts at Summerhall Distillery, at 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1PL. From there, you spend the full time at the distillery, so you don’t waste your evening bouncing between far-flung stops.

What happens during that hour is a smooth sequence:

First, you tour the distillery space where Pickering’s makes its small-batch gins. You’re shown how the gin comes together, and you get context that helps you understand what you’re tasting later. This part is important because gin tasting can be confusing if you only get a list of botanicals with no sense of process. Here, you get the “how it’s made” part first, so the flavors mean something.

Next comes the guided tasting of the four core gins, led by a tutor. The tour wraps with the souvenir moment: you wax a personalized 5cl bottle that you take home. That ending is one of the best ways to make this tour feel worth it. Instead of buying a bottle after the tasting, you seal your own small bottle as part of the experience.

The waxing step also changes how you pay attention. You’re not just tasting, you’re mentally mapping what you liked, so you can choose a bottle you’ll actually want to open later.

The tasting: four core gins, guided with context

The tasting is a core part of the experience, and it’s explicitly tutored. You’re not just handed a glass and told good luck. The guide’s job is to help you connect flavor to process, so you can spot differences across the core range.

Tasting four core gins is a good structure for most people. It gives you enough variety to learn something real, but it stays within an hour, so you do not end the tour feeling stuffed. If you’re new to gin, that’s a plus. If you already know gin, it’s still a solid way to compare styles and pick your favorites without needing a full day of tastings.

One smart tip for you, even if the guide doesn’t say it: pace yourself. Take notes or at least track what you like from the start to the finish. By the time you get to the bottle-waxing portion, you’ll know which flavors you enjoyed, and you’ll feel more satisfied with the bottle you take home.

Meet the guides who keep the group engaged (Max, Marina, Alyssa)

A big reason this tour scores so well is the human factor. The guides are consistently described as friendly, engaging, and able to answer questions in a way that makes the craft feel approachable.

I’m using the names because you may meet one of these guides during your booking window. People have mentioned Max leading the tour with humor and quick answers, Marina being warm and funny while connecting the tasting to history, and Alyssa creating a welcoming vibe. When a distillery tour works, you’re not just learning facts, you’re feeling included.

For you, that means this isn’t the kind of experience where you sit quietly and hope you understand. The small group of up to 12 people makes conversation possible. If you’re the type who likes to ask about how gin develops character, you’ll likely enjoy the format.

Price and value: what you’re paying for in this 1-hour format

At $34.28 per person for about an hour, this isn’t an all-day “premium everything” experience. What you are paying for is focused value in three parts:

• You get a distillery tour inside a historic space at Summerhall
• You get a tutored tasting of the four core gins
• You get a take-home bottle experience, because you wax your own 5cl bottle

That mix is what makes the price feel reasonable. A lot of gin tours basically offer tasting and maybe a short walkthrough. This one includes the hands-on souvenir step, and it also ties the visuals of making gin to the flavors you taste.

There’s also the practical side: this is a mobile-ticket experience, it runs in English, and it’s short enough that you can fit it into a packed Edinburgh day. If you’re deciding between one paid activity and nothing, this kind of timed experience often wins because you can commit without wrecking your schedule.

One more planning note: it tends to be booked ahead. If you want a specific date, don’t wait too long.

Getting there at Summerhall, and planning your timing in Edinburgh

You meet at Summerhall Distillery, 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1PL. The good news is that it’s described as near public transportation. That matters because Edinburgh can be a lot of walking if you’re juggling multiple stops.

The experience ends back at the meeting point, so you don’t need a separate transfer plan. For your day planning, treat this like a clean block of time rather than an open-ended wander. Plan to arrive a bit early so you can settle in before the tour starts.

Duration is listed as about 1 hour, and confirmation is received at the time of booking. That combination helps if you’re trying to stitch together a day around dinner.

Who this tour is best for (and who might want something else)

This is a strong fit if you want a guided gin experience that balances craft, tasting, and a fun takeaway. It’s also a good pick for couples, because the group stays small and the atmosphere tends to be social rather than huge and loud.

It’s also a good fit for you if you like structured learning. You’ll see the process, taste a set menu of four core gins, and finish with a souvenir ritual that makes the whole thing memorable.

If you’re under 18, there’s a built-in consideration. The minimum age for consumption of alcoholic beverages is 18, and soft drink is provided for under 18. So you can still participate as a group, but the alcohol portion is adult-only.

If you’re the type who wants a deeper technical masterclass, or you want multiple tastings beyond the four core gins, you might find the one-hour format tight. In that case, you may be happier with a longer tasting session elsewhere in town. But for most people, short and well guided beats long and confusing.

Should you book the Pickering’s Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour?

I think you should book this if you want a compact, well-taught Edinburgh gin experience with a real setting and a tangible souvenir. The biggest reasons are simple: you get to tour in the old Vet College at Summerhall, you taste the four core gins with a tutor, and you leave with your own waxed 5cl bottle.

Book it soon if your dates are fixed, since it’s commonly reserved in advance. And if you’re planning around food or nightlife, remember it’s only about an hour, so it can fit neatly before a meal rather than turning into a whole evening commitment.

FAQ

How long is the Pickering’s Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour?

It runs for about 1 hour.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $34.28 per person.

Where does the tour start?

You start at 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1PL, UK.

What is included in the experience?

The experience includes a distillery tour, a tutored tasting of the four core gins, and you wax a personalized 5cl bottle to take home.

Is the tour suitable for people under 18?

The minimum age for consumption of alcoholic beverages is 18. Soft drink is available for under 18.

Is there a group size limit?

Yes. The maximum group size is 12 travelers.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.