World’s smallest whisky bar opens for Fringe

THE world’s smallest whisky bar has opened in the Scottish capital ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

A former police telephone box on the corner of Hope Street and Shandwick Place has been turned into a tiny bar by whisky bottler Cask 88.

There’s only enough room inside for one bartender and one guest.

The bar opens on Friday and will serve customers between midday and 7pm during August.

Across on the other side of the pavement, Johnnie Walker Princes Street has signed up as an “official partner destination” for the Fringe.

The money from the partnership has been spent on improving the Fringe’s ticketing system and its venues map.

Shona McCarthy, chief executive at The Edinburgh Fringe Society, said: “Through the support of this partnership, we have been able to make improvements to our ticketing experience this August, and also bring back the popular Fringe venues map.

“We look forward to working with Barbara and the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street during the busy weeks ahead, and into 2023 and beyond.”

And, if you fancy a pint for your hauf an’ hauf then Brewgooder is sponsoring the bars being run by Gillded Balloon during the Fringe.

They include one in a horsebox outside the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street.

The Scottish beer brand donates money to clean water projects in developing countries, and has helped people access more than 150 million litres of clean water since it was founded in 2016.

More than 180 acts are due to perform at Gilded Balloon’s venues, which include the Patter Hoose on Chambers Street and the University of Edinburgh’s castle-like Teviot student union on Bristo Square.

Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s food and drink pages.

Plus, check out Blair Bowman’s whisky column in the August issue of Scottish Field magazine.