I have been drinking a lot of cocktails recently so I wanted to share some that I think are worth trying. Edinburgh’s cocktail scene is among the best in the world and we are once again the location for Tales of the Cocktail, a big cocktail industry event, so this post felt fitting.

Tonic

Tonic was one of the first bars in Edinburgh to focus on cocktails. Much of the early talent started at Tonic and have sinced moved on to create bars in Edinburgh and work abroad. Their new menu is full of fun with the whole team contributing ideas.

I have two recommendations at Bar Tonic.

Blues Clues is a vibrantly coloured tequila cocktail: Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Ciroc Coconut flavoured vodka, lime juice, coconut syrup, blue curcacao syrup, and egg white.

This One Is Just Right, a very sweet vodka cocktail: Home infused salted caramel Ketel One, Lagavulin, chocolate bitters, oat syrup, Giffard caramel syrup and one whole egg.

Yes that last one is served with a chocolate finger – any kind of sustenance with a cocktail goes down well in my book!

If you’re in Tonic and have a Foodinburgh Card, don’t forget you also get £5 Mojitos and Pornstar Martinis

The Huxley

The Huxley is not somewhere I’d usually choose to go for a cocktail, but I was pleasantly surprised. Here are three that I think are worth a try.

The Burgh Club (pictured at the top), this one is pretty in pink and featuring Edinburgh Gin and Edinburgh Raspberry Liqueur.

Our other two recommendations are Ol Mexicana a tequila cocktail with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, blood orange reduction, cherry puree, lime. This one had plenty of cherry and was sweet and citrusy. The Black Heart Daquiri was our biggest surprise, this is a rum cocktail featuring Brugal Anejo Rum and Guinness. The flavour was a cross between Coke and Dandelion Burdock – you need to try it!

Indigo Yard

Indigo Yard on Charlotte Lane is not somewhere we visit often and we had a bit of a discussion as to why. I thought it was always a bit rowdy, Alex thought it had an image as being expensive – neither were the case when we were there.

They have introduced a selection of must try ‘Jug Of Gin’. At £15 they are great value and a nice alternative to Pimm’s, perfect for a sunny afternoon.

Sygn

Next door to Indigo Yard is Sygn, here we recommend the vodka Pimp A Butterfly (Ketel One Vodka, Lemon Sherbert, Hibiscus and Glitter), another pink cocktail (there’s a lot of pink in this round up!), complete with sugared butterflies.

The Westroom

Just around the corner from Sygn is The Westroom, if you need a bite to eat to grab it here. They do a selection of small plates 3 for £12 or 5 for £15 – we recommend the Black Pudding Fritters with HP Sauce and the Tempura Prawn – and to drink, the rum based Cuban Cuppa.

That’s our round up of cocktails we’ve had recently that we think are worth a try. Let us know what you think in the Foodinburgh Facebook Group.