Gin Tasting Masterclass in Aberdeen

Gin gets clearer by tasting it botanically. This two-hour session at City of Aberdeen Distillery turns a familiar G&T into a hands-on lesson, starting with a double drink and moving through single distillates, blending, mystery flavors, and Aberdeen Gin samples. I like the way the head distiller explains gin through taste rather than a long lecture, and I like that you finish by choosing a gin for your own final G&T.

The strongest points are the practical format and the friendly team. Dan and Alan are praised for their passion, and the group setting encourages easy conversation. The main consideration is the price, $108.71 per person, which is a serious spend for a two-hour activity. It makes the most sense if you want more than a standard tasting and enjoy learning by doing.

Key points to know before booking

• You taste botanicals one at a time: Each botanical is distilled separately, helping you identify flavors that usually blend together inside gin.
• You begin with a double G&T: This is not a dry, sample-only tasting. You have a proper drink at the start and another at the end.
• You make your own gin blend: The session gives you a chance to combine distillates and create a personal glass of gin.
• A mystery botanical tests your palate: You must identify a single distillate by flavor, turning the lesson into a light challenge.
• Aberdeen Gin comes from French glass demi-johns: You sample both London Dry and Fruit Gins served from attractive traditional vessels.
• The group can include up to 20 people: That is small enough for questions, though the exact feel depends on the booking size.

Arriving at City of Aberdeen Distillery

The masterclass begins at 2:00 pm at City of Aberdeen Distillery, Arch 10, Palmerston Road, Aberdeen AB11 5RE. It ends at the same place, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup or find your way back across the city after drinking.

The location is near public transportation, which helps if you are visiting Aberdeen without a car. You receive a mobile ticket, so keeping the booking on your phone should make arrival simple. The activity is offered in English.

The venue itself matters. A tasting inside a distillery gives the session a working connection to the drink rather than making it feel like a generic bar flight. You are learning where flavor comes from, then applying that lesson in the glass.

The advertised maximum is 20 people. That is not a private lesson, but it is a manageable limit for a guided tasting. A smaller booking should feel especially sociable, while a full session may be livelier and give you less individual attention. The positive experience reported by the reviewer came from a small group where people chatted and laughed together.

Your first drink: a double G&T

The class opens with a double gin and tonic. This is a smart beginning because it gives you a complete drink before you start pulling it apart. You can taste gin as you normally encounter it, then compare that finished drink with the separate botanical flavors that follow.

The opening G&T also sets the pace. You are not rushed straight into technical details. You have time to settle in, meet the group, and begin asking questions while the head distiller introduces the session.

The word double is worth noting. This is a substantial starting pour, not merely a thimble-sized taste. If you are sensitive to alcohol or plan to continue drinking afterward, pace yourself. The full session includes several samples and a final G&T, so the drinks add up over two hours.

Single distillates make gin easier to understand

The most useful part of the class is the tasting of single distillates. Each botanical used in a traditional London Dry Gin has been distilled separately, allowing you to taste its individual character.

That gives you a way to recognize juniper instead of treating it as a mysterious background note. You can compare the flavor of one botanical with another, then start to understand how a finished gin gets its balance.

This is valuable even if you already drink gin. A bottle label may list botanicals, but a list alone does not tell you how they affect the drink. Tasting the components individually gives you a practical reference point for future purchases.

The head distiller leads this part, so you can ask questions as you go. The session is designed for curiosity, not for showing off. You do not need a trained palate. The whole point is to give you a set of comparisons and let you work out what you are tasting.

I would pay close attention here, since this is the part that gives the price its best justification. A standard gin flight lets you compare finished products. This class explains the structure behind them and lets you take part in the process.

Mixing your own glass of gin

After tasting the separate distillates, you become the mixologist. You blend them together to create your own glass of gin.

This is where the class shifts from demonstration to participation. You have already tasted the individual parts, so your choices now have some basis. You can try to create a balanced mix, emphasize a botanical you enjoyed, or simply see what happens when the ingredients meet.

The attraction is not that you will leave as a professional distiller. You will not be producing a bottled spirit through this exercise. Instead, you get a clear sense of how changing the mix can alter a gin’s character.

For anyone who likes experimenting with drinks at home, this section may be especially useful. It can sharpen your sense of what you prefer before you buy another bottle. If you usually choose gin by the label, the exercise gives you a better way to think about flavor.

You should also expect some trial and error. Personal taste is the point, and there is no promise that your first blend will be perfect. That makes the activity more fun than a formal lecture, but anyone seeking a polished, quiet tasting should know that this is a hands-on class.

The mystery botanical challenge

The class then tests your new palate with a mystery botanical presented as a single distillate. Your task is to guess what has been distilled based on its flavor.

This is a small feature, but it gives the afternoon a clear sense of play. You have just been taught to notice individual flavors, and now you have to use that skill without being told the answer first.

The challenge should not be taken too seriously. It is not an exam, and the description does not suggest that prizes or formal scoring are involved. The pleasure comes from making a guess, hearing the answer, and seeing how close your senses were.

It also gives you a reason to pay attention during the earlier tasting. When you know that a mystery sample is coming, you are more likely to notice the details in each botanical rather than simply sip and move on.

Sampling Aberdeen Gin from French demi-johns

You next sample a range of Aberdeen Gins served directly from French glass demi-johns. These vessels add a pleasing visual detail to the tasting, and they help distinguish the session from a simple lineup of bottles on a bar.

The range includes London Dry and Fruit Gins. That contrast matters because it gives you two broad styles to compare. The London Dry samples let you focus on the classic gin profile, while the Fruit Gins offer a different direction.

The class does not only discuss gin in the abstract. You get to taste products from the distillery itself and compare how the finished expressions use the ideas introduced earlier. If you find a style you like, you have a clearer reason for your preference.

The choice of French glass demi-johns also suits the character of the experience. You are sampling from attractive service vessels rather than receiving anonymous measures. It is a modest detail, but presentation can make a tasting feel more special without replacing the substance.

The selection may also be useful if you are shopping for a gift or a bottle to take home. The available choice includes items suitable for long-haul travel, according to the experience details. Check current purchase and travel requirements before carrying alcohol onward, since the class information does not set out those rules.

Ending with your preferred G&T

The final drink brings the class back to the familiar G&T. After tasting the range, you choose your preferred gin and have it served as your closing drink.

This is a good structure. You begin with a double G&T before the lesson, then finish with a choice informed by what you have learned. The two drinks serve as a simple before-and-after comparison: first you drink gin as a finished product, then you make a more deliberate choice.

The closing G&T is also the best time to ask practical questions. The session specifically invites questions such as how long gin can be kept, what to look for when buying a bottle, whether London Dry Gin must come from London, and if you can make gin at home.

Those are useful questions because they connect the tasting to real decisions. You leave with more than flavor notes. You can also ask about storage, labels, gin styles, and home experimentation.

Do not expect a formal meal. The sample menu lists a G&T on arrival, single distillates, gin samples, and a G&T to order. Food is not included in the information provided, so eat beforehand if you need something substantial.

Why the head distiller and small group matter

The session is led by the Head Distiller, which gives you direct access to the person responsible for the spirit rather than a guide repeating a set script. That can make a difference during the question period, especially if you want to ask about production choices or how botanicals affect the final drink.

Dan and Alan are also named as the team behind the friendly atmosphere. Their passion is one of the most praised parts of the experience, and the small-group mood seems to encourage people to talk rather than sit silently with a glass.

The maximum group size of 20 keeps the class from becoming a large public demonstration. Still, you should not assume every date will have the same intimate feel. If the session is full, you may need to be proactive about asking questions.

For me, the social side is part of the value. A tasting can feel stiff if everyone is focused only on judging aromas. Here, the chance to chat and laugh makes the activity a good fit for friends, couples, and solo visitors who enjoy meeting people around a shared interest.

Is $108.71 good value?

At $108.71 per person, this is not a casual add-on for someone who simply wants one gin and tonic. The price is easier to defend if you value the full sequence: a double opening drink, guided botanical tasting, your own blend, a mystery challenge, several Aberdeen Gin samples, a final G&T, and time with the distiller.

You are paying for instruction and participation as well as alcohol. That is the key distinction. A bar tasting may cost less, but it may not show you how individual distillates work or let you build your own blend.

The price also includes a two-hour block in Aberdeen, which gives the activity enough time to move at a relaxed pace. The question is not just how many drinks you receive. It is whether you will use the information later when choosing or mixing gin.

I would book it if you already enjoy gin, want a distinctive activity in Aberdeen, or are looking for a gift built around learning rather than sightseeing. I would skip it if you do not drink alcohol, want a full meal, or are mainly seeking the cheapest possible tasting.

Who will enjoy this masterclass most?

This class suits you if you like understanding how things are made. You do not need to know the difference between juniper and any other botanical at the start. The format is designed to teach those distinctions as you taste.

It is also a good choice for a couple or small group of friends. The blend-your-own section gives everyone something to discuss, while the mystery botanical adds a friendly challenge.

Solo visitors can fit in well too, particularly if you enjoy small-group activities. The reported atmosphere was social, with people chatting and laughing together.

The experience is less suitable for children or anyone avoiding alcohol, but the available details do not specify age rules. Service animals are allowed, and the distillery is near public transportation. You should contact the provider directly for any needs not covered by those details.

The activity requires good weather, even though the main tasting takes place at the distillery. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. A minimum number of participants is also required, with the same choice of a new date, another experience, or a full refund if the session does not run.

Booking, cancellation, and timing tips

The start time is 2:00 pm, and the activity lasts about two hours. Plan to remain at the meeting point until roughly 4:00 pm, while allowing a little flexibility because the duration is approximate.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made inside that period are not refunded, and changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted.

Because the class includes a double G&T, multiple samples, and a final drink, think about your transport before you arrive. The distillery is near public transportation, which is useful after the tasting. The provided details do not describe parking or private transfers, so do not count on either without checking first.

The mobile ticket is convenient, but you should have the confirmation ready when you arrive. Booking confirmation is issued at the time of booking.

Should you book the Aberdeen Gin Tasting Masterclass?

Book this if you want to understand gin, not just drink it. The single-distillate tasting, make-your-own blend, mystery botanical, and direct questions with the Head Distiller give the experience real substance.

The price is high for two hours, but the format offers more than a standard flight. Dan and Alan help create the relaxed, social tone, while the Aberdeen Gin range gives you several finished styles to compare. The final G&T lets you put your new preferences to work.

I would especially recommend it for gin fans, curious food-and-drink visitors, and anyone seeking a memorable Aberdeen activity with a local production focus. If you only want a quick cocktail or a low-cost tasting, save your money for a bar. If you want a hands-on lesson with plenty to sip and discuss, this is a strong choice, backed by a five-star rating from 13 reviews and a 100 percent recommendation rate.

FAQ

Where does the Gin Tasting Masterclass take place?

It takes place at City of Aberdeen Distillery, Arch 10 Palmerston Road, Aberdeen AB11 5RE, UK.

What time does the experience start?

The masterclass starts at 2:00 pm.

How long does the gin tasting last?

The activity lasts approximately two hours.

What drinks and samples are included?

You receive a G&T on arrival, single distillates, samples from the Aberdeen Gin range, and a final G&T of your choice.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

How many people can attend?

The maximum group size is 20 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded.