Our Guide To Scotland
Scotland's long and not always well-adjusted relationship with alcohol reaches the heights of the most sophisticated and complex distillations on Earth to the kind of muck that should come with a chemical hazard label applied. While its whiskies win awards globally, the Scottish government are also introducing minimum alcohol pricing to deter the bottom end of the market. A form of class elitism that appears to go against its self-proclaimed left of centre leanings.
In Scottish pubs you'll often find the two staring at you opposite the bar. Scotland doesn't have the same firm association with cask brewing as England, so outside the major towns and cities you may find it a struggle to locate a pub offering more than 1 or 2 at most. However, the likes of Edinburgh provide local cask ales at most places, and it is a similarly notable feature as it is in the rest of the UK.
Edinburgh in particular boasts a fine selection of preserved heritage pubs with fittings and bars every bit the equal to the most stunning examples found across England. Celtic culture accents the environment though, with many folk music nights across the city, and Guinness being sloshed back as though it was being brewed down the road.
While Edinburgh can be cliquey, the humour is sardonic and the international flavour invites a lot of cross chat and good times. Glasgow by contrast is a working city with a harder edge to it and its social scene is far more divided along class lines, not to mention sectarian ones.
We should finally mention the remote country Inns in the Highlands and Islands which are so vital to maintaining hospitality in some of the wildest parts of the nation.
In Scottish pubs you'll often find the two staring at you opposite the bar. Scotland doesn't have the same firm association with cask brewing as England, so outside the major towns and cities you may find it a struggle to locate a pub offering more than 1 or 2 at most. However, the likes of Edinburgh provide local cask ales at most places, and it is a similarly notable feature as it is in the rest of the UK.
Edinburgh in particular boasts a fine selection of preserved heritage pubs with fittings and bars every bit the equal to the most stunning examples found across England. Celtic culture accents the environment though, with many folk music nights across the city, and Guinness being sloshed back as though it was being brewed down the road.
While Edinburgh can be cliquey, the humour is sardonic and the international flavour invites a lot of cross chat and good times. Glasgow by contrast is a working city with a harder edge to it and its social scene is far more divided along class lines, not to mention sectarian ones.
We should finally mention the remote country Inns in the Highlands and Islands which are so vital to maintaining hospitality in some of the wildest parts of the nation.
Ratings Key:
A: Choice and/or quality of drinks
B: Style and décor
C: Atmosphere and feel
D: Amenities, Events & Community
E: Value for money
F: The Pub Going Factor
| Name | Location | A | B | C | D | E | F |
| Canny Man's | Edinburgh | 7 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 8.8 |
| Kay's Bar | Edinburgh | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 8.5 |
| Oxford Bar | Edinburgh | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8.5 |
| Bow Bar | Edinburgh | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 8.4 |
| Bennets Bar | Edinburgh | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 8.3 |
| The Blue Blazer | Edinburgh | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 8.1 |
| The Dagda | Edinburgh | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7.8 |
| The Ventoux | Edinburgh | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7.8 |
| Barony Bar | Edinburgh | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7.7 |
| Café Royal | Edinburgh | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7.7 |
| Leslie's | Edinburgh | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7.7 |
| The Guildford | Edinburgh | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7.7 |
| The Diggers | Edinburgh | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7.7 |
| The Ensign Ewart | Edinburgh | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7.5 |
| The Laurieston | Glasgow | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9.5 |
| The Doublet | Glasgow | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8.1 |
| The Lismore | Glasgow | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7.9 |
| The Scotia | Glasgow | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7.8 |
| The Pot Still | Glasgow | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7.7 |
| The State | Glasgow | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7.7 |
| Koelschip Yard | Glasgow | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7.5 |
| The Horseshoe | Glasgow | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7.5 |
Edinburgh
pop. 526,520Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
The UK's most characterful large city is also one of its most intensely touristy, whether that be the famous Fringe Festival or numerous annual events studded in its jam-packed diary. There are of course downsides - tourist tat, high prices and sometimes a lack of breathing space, but by the same token there are many reasons why everyone is here.
A truly outstanding marvel with no shortage of attractions, supplemented by a kaleidoscope of drinking establishments. Busy, noisy, fast-paced to the extent that you worry by being in one spot you're missing out on action elsewhere.
Edinburgh's stock and trade are Victorian to Edwardian era city taverns, many of which are still in fine flow today. In and around that general heritage there are other quirks which have character from a sense of history encapsulated rather than fine fittings. You'll find cask ale is reasonably alive and well here in comparison to elsewhere in Scotland, with most hailing either from Scotland or North England breweries. Of course, whisky plays a prominent part with most pubs offering a 'whisky of the week' at more competitive rates.
Central action is split between the lower New Town with its wide boulevards and Georgian through to Victorian street layout, to the historic old town of rat runs and long thoroughfares. Both have their fair share of pubs to occupy all but the most intrepid travellers, but it would be worth recommending trips out to Leith, Stockbridge, Fountainbridge and Morningside for further venues that take their place among the best.
It really is an unmissable national highlight.
Glasgow
pop. 635,130Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
While Edinburgh draws in tourism, Glasgow is more of a working city, sat alongside other major UK cities like Manchester and Leeds. Glasgow has its fair share of culture to compete with Edinburgh and beyond the contemporary contributions to the arts it is worth mentioning historic achievements in education, science and medicine which shape not only Scotland but the UK as a whole. Glasgow was an enthusiastic adopter of new technology and modernity in the late 1800s through to the post-war era and signs of that can be seen everywhere from its famous old tram tracks through to the clock work orange (a 1-line Metro System), to its Art Deco cinemas.
Glasgow's nightlife competes ably with cities of a similar size, albeit with the same problem of corporate venues occupying central spots as they can afford the rent up front (and charge customers for their tenancy). The pub scene is not quite as plentiful or diverse as Edinburgh, nor are there quite the same number of absolute highlights, but all the same, they will keep you occupied.
The pub scene for a long time was notorious for its rough and ready boozers, as well as the sectarian leanings in different districts of the city. As with most places, this has softened as gentrification has come in and some of the old guard has either died out or changed their drinking habits. To find a new audience pubs have adapted and Glasgow is inching its way into a new market. Whisky plays a similarly prominent role in Glasgow's pubs to Edinburgh, however cask ale is not quite so common. Outside of some stalwart venues (even then offering no more than 3-4 lines) you'll find either a couple or none available. Part of the reason is a nostalgic preference for 'heavies', keg ale - usually amber and sweet.
Heavies fall under terms which will likely be unfamiliar at first and stem from the trade price per barrel.
From Wikipedia:
- Light
- (60/-) under 3.5% abv
- Heavy
- (70/-) between 3.5% and 4.0% abv
- Export
- (80/-) between 4.0% and 5.5% abv
- Wee heavy
- (90/-) over 6.0% abv
Overall, most lingering disappointment from Glasgow's scene really stems from the extremely high bar Edinburgh has raised, but there is still a faint underlying suspicion there could be better pubs and more of them.