The Drinkmonger Spirits Fair will return to Edinburgh, Scotland, for its third annual event on March 14-15, 2026, with a new focus on bartender-led cocktail sessions. The show, described as Scotland’s largest multi-category spirits tasting, will take place at the Mansfield Traquair venue and reflects a growing consumer interest in cocktails.
The event is set to bring together more than 30 producers, offering attendees the chance to sample more than 150 spirits and mixed drinks.
Visitors can explore categories including gin, agave spirits, whisky, and rum, alongside a selection of vermouths and liqueurs.
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For 2026, Japanese sake and shochu will be introduced as a new discovery category.
The fair is organized by the team behind retailer Royal Mile Whiskies, which was named Specialist Spirits Retailer of the Year at The Spirits Business Awards 2025.
A new feature for the 2026 show will be sessions pairing partner brands with award-winning Edinburgh bartenders, including Robert Meek, bar manager at Port of Leith Distillery, and Sian Buchan, co-owner of Uno Mas. These sessions are designed to showcase approachable serves and practical techniques for consumers to use at home.
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READ THE STORYSam Brabbs, purchasing manager at The Dormant Distillery Company, said: “We’ve worked hard over the last few years to make Drinkmonger Spirits Fair feel like the city’s fantastic bar scene under one roof.”
“You can wander around, chat to the people behind the drinks, try some cocktails and explore an intriguing range of spirits you might never normally order, and leave with ideas you can actually recreate at home,” Brabbs continued.
“It’s exciting to see it grow into Scotland’s largest multi-category spirits tasting, and we’d love anyone with an interest in spirits to pick up a ticket and come down.”
The exhibitor list features Scottish producers such as Pickering’s Gin and North Uist Distillery.
They will appear alongside international brands including Don Julio, Casamigos, Redbreast, and Nikka.
Rum producers scheduled to attend include Black Tot and Doorly’s, allowing visitors to compare styles across multiple categories in one place.
Organizers stated the show has grown to reflect how people now discover drinks, moving towards social experiences guided by bartenders rather than traditional structured tastings.
An on-site shop will allow visitors to purchase bottles discovered during the event.
Tickets are priced at £35 and include tasting access, cocktail sessions, a branded tasting glass, and a £10 voucher. The voucher is redeemable against a purchase of more than £40 at the festival shop or at Drinkmonger stores and online until the end of April 2026.
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