Nauticus

A truly gorgeous makeover of a traditional boozer in a slightly un-loved part of Leith, offering creative cocktails based on the best of Scottish booze.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

Leith has a long, colourful maritime history; exotic botanicals and spices flowed through the port for hundreds of years making it a great place to distil, bottle and indeed sample a range of spirits and wines. This colourful boozy history is celebrated in Nauticus, a handsome new pub on Duke Street, a wee bit off the Shore’s familiar beaten track. Here skilled bartenders take you on a journey through time to celebrate Leith and Scottish produce through their cocktail menu, from spice routes to the gin era (stop off here to sample a Trinity and Beyond featuring Arbikie Kirsty’s gin, Braemble gin liqueur and a delicious tea syrup) before continuing on to wine trading with a Leith sherry, perhaps. They know their whiskies too, which are helpfully arranged by flavour from light to smoky. With a good range beers and wines and a friendly vibe, Nauticus is a great addition to the Leith pub scene.