Port of Leith Distillery
Port of Leith Distillery is the United Kingdom's first vertical distillery — a striking nine-storey tower built on a compact plot in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith, near Ocean Terminal and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Founded by Paddy Fletcher and Ian Stirling under the company Muckle Brig Ltd., the distillery opened to the public on 11 October 2023 after a £12 million construction project that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The building's rooftop bar offers panoramic views across Leith and the Firth of Forth. Fletcher and Stirling previously established the Lind & Lime Gin distillery, making them experienced Edinburgh spirits operators before building this flagship project.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
The concept for Port of Leith Distillery began with a planning application submitted in 2017. Planning permission was granted in 2019, and construction started in 2020 — immediately encountering delays due to the pandemic. The nine-storey building presented significant design and engineering challenges given the small plot footprint, requiring innovative vertical integration of all production stages. The distillery opened to the public on 11 October 2023. New make whisky spirit production began in early 2024, meaning the first legally aged single malt (requiring a minimum three years) will not be ready until at least 2027.
The founders' experience with the Lind & Lime Gin brand — a critically acclaimed Edinburgh gin — gave Port of Leith Distillery a strong foundation in craft spirits production and Edinburgh's spirits tourism market from day one.
Production
Port of Leith operates one wash still and one spirit still, with an annual capacity of approximately 400,000 litres. The vertical building layout stacks each stage of production across the nine floors, making it one of Scotland's most architecturally distinctive working distilleries. The spirit is classified as a Lowland single malt Scotch whisky. New make spirit production began in early 2024; maturation is ongoing. Lind & Lime Gin is produced and sold alongside the developing whisky programme.
Tasting Character
Lind & Lime Gin is characterised by its clean, citrus-forward profile — fresh lime and lemon supported by classic gin botanicals. Port of Leith Whisky character will not be known until matured expressions are released, currently anticipated no earlier than 2027 given the 2024 production start and Scotch whisky's three-year minimum maturation.
[!question] Gap — whisky tasting notes require update once first aged releases are bottled (earliest 2027).
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Lind & Lime Gin£34.70 — Edinburgh craft gin; citrus-forward; the distillery's flagship spirit while whisky matures
- Port of Leith Single Malt (maturing)£20.95 — New make from 2024; Lowland classification; first release anticipated 2027+
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Visiting
The distillery and visitor experience opened 11 October 2023. It functions as both a working distillery and visitor attraction, with the rooftop bar offering panoramic city and harbour views. Tours of the nine-storey vertical production facility are available. Online shop and physical shop both on site. Located near Ocean Terminal and the Royal Yacht Britannia, in Edinburgh's Leith waterfront district.