IM Bottle Shop unveils non-stop "Meet the Maker" line-up during Edinburgh Fringe


With the Edinburgh Festival Fringe just around the corner, our friends at the IM Bottle Shop have been busy curating their own "arts" festival, with a Meet the Maker tasting session every day of the Fringe!

From August 4th to the 28th, the IM Bottle Shop will host 25 different Brand Ambassadors for August's 'Meet The Maker' afternoon tasting sessions, complementing Bonnie & Wild's own Fringe offer including musical performances in our Events space and our special Fringe ceilidh on August 17th!

So whether you're taking in a show or musing at an exhibition or trying to avoid the crowds, make sure you pop down to Bonnie & Wild between 12pm and 5pm any day of the Fringe and meet the men and women who'll be running exclusive tastings and sharing their passion for the art of Scottish craft spirits.

Highlights include:

A visit from Tom Chisholm, co-founder from Buck & Birch on Tuesday, August 8th. Tom and his business partner, Rupert, have spent the past decade creating Aelder - a contemporary elderberry liqueur infused with foraged wild botanicals and blended with whisky - and hosting dining events showcasing only foraged ingredients from the local landscape. Tom will be sampling Aelder, and pairing it with Scottish foraged mushrooms known as 'Jelly Ears' - mushrooms that have been soaked in Aelder elderberry liqueur before being coated in dark chocolate. This promises to be both an informative and delicious tasting session!

On Thursday, August 17th, we will be joined at the IM Bottle Shop by some very special guests from Edinburgh Rugby to sample Glen Moray’s 15 year old ‘Homecoming’ limited edition whisky. David Mclaughlan, Brand Manager from Glen Turner Whisky will be joined by Chris Dean and Jamie Hodgson (pictured) from Edinburgh Rugby, between 2-4pm. Chris is a centre with 135 appearances for Edinburgh Rugby, where he has scored 95 points and 19 tries. Jamie is a lock with 6 Scotland Caps, and 53 appearances for Edinburgh Rugby, where he scored 5 points and 1 try. Come along to meet the players, and pick up your bottle of the Glen Moray Homecoming Edition! (We've also got our Fringe Ceilidh that evening, too!)

The Lochlea Distillery team will be joining us on Friday, August 25th. Lochlea's Emma Kirk will be along to share samples of this fantastic whisky, including their core single malt expression 'Our Barley', Limited Seasonal releases, 'Sowing', 'Harvest', and 'Ploughing', and the newly released Lochlea Cask Strength. Lochlea is an independent family-owned farm and distillery based in the heart of Ayrshire. Lochlea have been quietly distilling and maturing their single malt Scotch whisky since 2021, using barley that they grow and harvest on the farm.

And if that doesn't whet your appetite, here's the full rundown that the IM Bottle Shop have on during the Fringe:

  • Friday, August 4th Adam Murphy from MangroveUK - Spearhead Whisky
  • Saturday, August 5th Alasdair Wilson from Isle of Skye Distillers - Misty Isle Gin
  • Sunday, August 6th Andrew Miller (Kilpecks) from Base Spirits - Porter’s Gin & Valentian Vermouth
  • Monday, August 7th David Hall from Crafty Distilery - Hills and Harbour Gin
  • Tuesday, August 8th Tom Chisholm from Buck and Birch - Aelder Liqueur
  • Wednesday, August 9th Rebecca Sims from Kinrara Distillery - Kinrara Cairngorm Gin & Kinrara Pink Hibiscus Gin
  • Thursday, August 10th Amy Proud from Wemyss - Wemyss malts and Kingsbarns Whisky
  • Friday, August 11th Nicholas Stirling from Arbikie - Arbikie Highland Rye
  • Saturday, August 12th Charlotte Coyle, Christian Seale, Courtney Smith & Ellie Smith from Brown Foreman - Benriach Whisky.
  • Sunday, August 13th Gregor Hunter from Raasay Distillers - Isle of Raasay Gin & Isle of Raasay Whisky
  • Monday, August 14th Andrew Miller (Kilpecks) from Base Spirits & Dominic Tait from Valentian - Valentian Vermouth
  • Tuesday, August 15th Dominic Allan from Dark Arts Distillery - Liquid Oats
  • Wednesday, August 16th Kit Carruthers & Adam Thompson from Ninefold distillery - Ninefold Rum
  • Thursday, August 17th David Mclaughlan & James Collins from Glen Turner Whisky - Glen Moray Homecoming Whisky
  • Friday, August 18th Scott Kirk from Highland Liquor Company - Seven Crofts Gin
  • Saturday, August 19th Connie Macdonald from Mucklebrig - Lind & Lime Gin and Port of Leith White Port
  • Sunday, August 20th Amy Proud from Wemyss - Darnley’s Gin
  • Monday, August 21st Andrew Sinat from Beinn An Turic Distillers - Kintyre Gin
  • Tuesday, August 22nd Douglas Wylie from Ian Macleod Distillers - Edinburgh Gin
  • Wednesday, August 23rd Antea Allegro from Kilchoman - Kilchoman Whisky
  • Thursday, August 24th Chris Brown from Speciality Brands - Port Askaig Whisky
  • Friday, August 25th Emma Kirk from Lochlea - Lochlea Whisky
  • Saturday, August 26th John Moffat from Gleann Mor Spirits - Edinburgh Whisky
  • Sunday, August 27th Lewis Kennedy from Talonmore Drinks Company - Talonmore Non-Alcoholic Spirit
  • Monday, August 28th Charlie Wilson from Dunnet Bay Distillery - Mapmaker's Rum

Tastings will run between 12-5pm each day.

Our Bonnie & Wild Reviews

Thanks to everyone who shared their reviews