The Balmoral Bar

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

With its sumptuous velvet and soft tweed furnishing, the Balmoral Bar provides a slice of Scottish country-house elegance in the heart of the city, giving locals and tourists alike a chance to sample one of Edinburgh’s finest institutions. Although a light bar menu is available, the focus here is predominantly on the drinks. The cocktail tasting menu is an entertaining way to witness the bartenders’ creative flair, with four ‘courses’ of bespoke liquid creations. If martinis are your thing, there’s a wide range of gins and vodkas to tempt you, along with some interesting variants on the classic cocktail. Whiskies feature heavily on the menu too, though some lesser-known distilleries would be welcome among the favourites on offer.

• High point: A touch of class for a special occasion
• Low point: Music a bit too upbeat for such a relaxed setting