Some stories are best told after dark... Your evening begins in our cosy Lounge, where you'll settle in with a cocktail, and your guide sets the scene. Holyrood Distillery occupies a building more than 200 years old, and over the years there have been stories of unexplained presences and strange happenings within its walls and beyond. From ghosts and grave robbers to witches, murders and sinister medical experiments, Distillery After Dark takes you on a journey through some of the city’s most gruesome and intriguing tales. The Perfect Specimen Your next stop is our Spirits Lab — usually a place of experimentation, creativity and new recipes, but tonight it takes on a rather more sinister character. Here, discover the darker side of gin and its surprising connections to Edinburgh’s medical history. With the University of Edinburgh and Surgeons’ Hall just a short distance away, the area was once at the centre of medical teaching, anatomical demonstrations and gruesome dissections. Hear the infamous story of Burke and Hare, the notorious body snatchers who supplied Edinburgh’s medical students with cadavers — some of them obtained through murder. Next, it'll be your turn to get involved! You’ll create your own bespoke cocktail: The Perfect Specimen - inspired by the Victorian fascination with anatomy and the preservation of medical specimens, this eerie cocktail is as intriguing to look at as it is to drink. Ale Wives & Witches From the Spirits Lab, descend into the heart of our whisky production area and discover another side of Edinburgh’s brewing history. Edinburgh’s Southside is an area once home to numerous breweries that have long since disappeared. Enjoy a taste of our Ale Yeast aged new-make spirit, as we raise a glass to the female brewers whose contributions have largely disappeared from history. You’ll hear the tragic story of Agnes Sampson, accused of witchcraft and executed in 1591. Her story is woven into the history of nearby Holyrood Palace and Holyrood Park, where legend says her ghost may still be found wandering... Ghost Stories in the Cask Room Finally, leave the production floor behind and venture into our atmospheric Cask Room. As the evening draws to a close, the lights are low. The whisky is poured. And the stories get darker. Surrounded by the shadows of the casks, your guide will take you through some of Edinburgh’s most unsettling tales — stories of ghosts, murder and mysterious figures that have haunted the city for generations. Meet the Wee Red Cap, encounter the strange tale of the Wizard of the West Bow, and discover the darker side of Deacon Brodie — Edinburgh's respectable cabinetmaker whose double life helped inspire one of literature’s most famous stories. Distillery after dark. Holyrood after hours - join us for a a truly unique distillery and tasting experience in the heart of Edinburgh.

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