It is just a month until Edinburgh Cocktail Week, the UK’s biggest cocktail festival and today organisers have revealed all 120 Signature Cocktails along with its full 2022 programme.
There will be 21 pop-up bars in the Cocktail Village, a new rooftop ‘Mirror Mirror Bar’, headline music acts and a programme of experiential events including a futuristic Dramming in the Dark space, Cocktail & Comedy Nights and Ball Pit & Cocktail experiences.
The 10-day festival takes place from to 16 October focussing on Edinburgh’s thriving bar scene. Each of the 120 bars taking part have created a Signature Cocktail that attendees can enjoy for £5 with an ECW wristband.
There will also be nine ‘Prestige’ venues offering festival-goers an even more in depth cocktail experience created by some of the city’s world-class mixologists at award-winning venues such as Hey Palu, Harrods Champagne Bar and Panda & Sons. All cocktails are available to view on Edinburgh Cocktail Week’s website now.
The festival has a new east-side hub – the ‘Mirror Mirror Bar’ will pop-up on the rooftop of The Glasshouse Hotel offering wristband-holders cocktails never before experienced. Enclosed in a shimmering neon space, guests can enjoy £5 cocktails by whispering their order to the mirror wall and watch in amazement as the cocktail magically appears through the looking glass. Tickets cost £15 per person which includes entry, two cocktails and a 90-minute reservation, with additional cocktails available from £5. The Mirror Mirror Bar is a new pop-up experience delivered in partnership with gin company, Whitley Neill. Dead Man’s Fingers Rum, JJ Whitley Vodka and Yardhead Single Malt Whisky cocktails will also be available.
Edinburgh Cocktail Week has more events than ever in its programme. New and bespoke experiences include:
Dramming in the Dark with The Glenlivet, 7 – 16 October, various times: A sensory whisky tasting experience with popping cocktail capsules that is making its debut in Scotland. The 30-minute experience takes the customer through a tasting like no other, with an expertly curated music and light show to reflect the individual tasting notes of three whiskies, contained in edible capsules rather than served in glasses; priced at £10 per person.
Cocktails & Comedy, 8 and 9 October, various times: A night full of belly laughter at The Stand Comedy Club; ticket holders will be treated to cocktails while soaking up the atmosphere of a four-act comedy show featuring Marc Jennings, Mike Milligan, Bylgja Babýlons, Mark Nelson, Gus Lymburn and host Jay Lafferty; £20 per person.
Ball Pit & Cocktails, 7– 16 October, various times: Edinburgh’s unique and newest cocktail bar, Ballie Ballerson has created a package to bring out the inner child in guests. Ticket holders will be treated to a plush VIP booth with table service, two-hour ball pit access and four delicious cocktails; priced from £25 per person.
Wristband holders can also visit the Cocktail Village at Festival Square, open 12pm – 11pm daily. Entry is free with a wristband and inside guests can enjoy £5 cocktails from 21 pop-up bars featuring a range of local and international brands like Grey Goose, Tequila Rose, Kopparberg, Dead Man’s Fingers, Jack Daniel’s, London Essence, Matugga Rum, Tia Maria, Jagërmeister, Böe Gin & Vodka, Havana Club and Stranger’s Point Gin – a new local gin brand that will launch exclusively at the village. A new ‘Takeover Bar’ will launch in the Cocktail Village this year which will see some of Edinburgh’s top bars collaborate with Bacardi Martini brands; Hey Palu with Bacardi, Commons Club with Patron, Nauticus with Dewar’s and Hawksmoor with Bombay Sapphire.
The Cocktail Village’s headline music acts include sea shanty-singing TikTok sensation, Nathan Evans, Edinburgh singer-songwriter Callum Beattie, Swedish rising popstar, Lilly Ahlberg, TikTok’s newest Scottish singing obsession Calum Bowie, and Scotland’s finest funk-disco band, High Fade. Street food will be available from Bross Bagels and Pizza Geeks.
The festival has introduced restaurants to its event programme for the first time. Wristband-holders can enjoy a complimentary cocktail when they dine at some of the city’s most sought after restaurants including El Cartel, Superico, Luckenbooths, Dine and Heron.
Managing Director of Edinburgh Cocktail Week, Gary Anderson said: “Each year we continue to grow the festival by introducing new experiences and partnerships. This year sees our biggest and best programme yet with so many fun new features and events for wristband-holders to enjoy. With the cost of everything going up, and people feeling the pinch, we’re proud to offer a festival that is inclusive, with amazing £5 cocktails at 120 bars across the city and free entry to the Cocktail Village. We can’t wait to welcome back local cocktail-lovers, and new visitors to champion Edinburgh’s bar scene.”
Wristbands are on sale now and can be bought at www.edinburghcocktailweek.co.uk.
The full list of events can be found athttps://www.edinburghcocktailweek.co.uk/events
Wristband options for 2022 are:
- Weekend 1 – £8.50 (valid Friday 7th – Sunday 9th Oct)
- Weekday – £8.50 (valid Monday 10th – Thursday 13th Oct)
- Weekend 2- £8.50 (valid Friday 14th – Sunday 16th Oct)
- Ten Day – £25.00 (valid Friday 7th – Sunday 16th Oct)
Wristbands are valid at all 120 participating bars for the full 10-day duration of the festival.
Wristbands are valid at the Cocktail Village for the dates detailed above.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
