Gin Tasting Masterclass in Aberdeen

The clever part of this Aberdeen experience is that you do not simply taste finished gin. You first taste the individual botanicals, then use them to understand how a London Dry Gin is built. The head distiller leads the session, turning a drink many people know into a hands-on lesson in aroma and flavor.

I like the chance to make your own glass of gin after sampling the separate distillates. I also like the relaxed question-and-answer time at the end, when you can ask about storing gin, choosing a bottle, London Dry Gin, or making gin at home. The main consideration is the price: at $108.71 per person, this is a special-interest activity rather than a quick tasting.

Key points

• Taste botanicals separately: Learn what juniper and other gin ingredients taste like before they are blended.
• Build your own gin: Mix the single distillates and create a personal glass of gin.
• Test your palate: Identify a mystery botanical served as an individual distillate.
• Sample Aberdeen Gin: Try both London Dry and fruit gin expressions served from French glass demi-johns.
• Small-group setting: The maximum group size is 20, with time for conversation and questions.
• Finish with your choice: Select a preferred gin for the final G&T and ask the head distiller anything you like.

A gin lesson that starts with the ingredients

Many gin tastings begin with a flight of finished bottles. This one takes a more useful route. At City of Aberdeen Distillery, you start with a double gin and tonic, then work backward to understand what creates the flavor in the glass.

The head distiller presents individual distillates made from the botanicals used in a traditional London Dry Gin. Instead of trying to guess what a blended spirit contains, you taste each element on its own. That gives you a clearer sense of juniper and the other botanical flavors before they are combined.

I like this format because it gives you something to do with your palate. You are not expected to sit quietly while someone lists tasting notes. You smell and taste the separate ingredients, compare them, and begin to notice how a finished gin gets its character.

The session lasts about two hours, which is enough time for the tasting to feel substantial without taking over your whole day in Aberdeen. It begins at 2:00 pm and ends back at the distillery, so you can plan another afternoon activity around it, provided you allow time for the drinks.

Starting with a double G&T at Palmerston Road

The meeting point is City of Aberdeen Distillery at Arch 10, Palmerston Road, Aberdeen AB11 5RE. The activity starts and ends here. It is near public transportation, and confirmation is sent when you book.

Your first drink is a double G&T. That makes the opening friendly and social, but it is also worth planning around. You will be tasting several samples during the session, so this is not a dry lecture with one token sip. Eat beforehand if that suits you, and do not plan to drive afterward.

The arrival drink gives you a familiar reference point. You can taste a finished gin and tonic before examining its separate parts. Later, when you sample single distillates, you have a practical reason to pay attention: you are learning what might be shaping the drink in front of you.

The group can contain up to 20 people. That is not an intimate private lesson, but it is still a controlled size for a guided tasting. A smaller group may allow more back-and-forth, while a full group could feel more structured. The available experience also has a social side. Dan and Alan are described as a strong team, and their enthusiasm helps make the session conversational rather than formal.

Learning what juniper actually tastes like

The first serious lesson is the simplest one: what does juniper taste like? Gin drinkers often know the word, but many have never considered the botanical by itself. Here, you get the chance to separate the idea of juniper from the finished spirit.

Each botanical in a traditional London Dry Gin is individually distilled. That method lets you train your palate by tasting one flavor at a time. You can compare the clean, separate notes before they become part of a blended recipe.

This is the most educational part of the experience. It helps you understand why two gins can both be labeled London Dry yet taste different. It also gives you a better way to talk about gin after the class. Instead of saying that one bottle is simply smooth or strong, you may begin to recognize the botanical elements that shape it.

The format is useful for beginners because you do not need prior tasting experience. It is also worthwhile for people who already drink gin but want to know more about production and flavor. You are given a clear task at each stage, rather than being left to invent your own tasting method.

Mixing a personal glass of gin

After tasting the separate distillates, you become the blender. You combine them to create your own glass of gin. This is where the lesson turns into a practical experiment.

The activity does not promise that every homemade blend will be perfect, and that is part of the fun. You can see how changing the balance of the ingredients affects the result. A botanical that seems pleasant on its own may need restraint in a blend. Another may become more noticeable when paired with the others.

I like this section because it gives you a direct reason to remember the earlier tasting. You are not just collecting impressions. You are using them to make a decision.

The experience also gives you a useful glimpse of the judgment involved in gin production. The class does not turn you into a professional distiller in two hours, but it shows that gin is more than neutral spirit with a strong tonic. Flavor depends on the relationship between its ingredients.

Guessing the mystery botanical

The mystery botanical challenge adds a game to the lesson. You taste a single distillate without being told what it is and try to identify it from flavor.

This is a good test of confidence. After the guided sampling, you may feel that you recognize the main ingredients. The mystery sample checks whether you can apply that knowledge without a label in front of you.

The challenge is best treated as a palate exercise, not an exam. You may identify the botanical, or you may only narrow down what it could be. Either result gives you a better understanding of how difficult blind tasting can be.

It also breaks up the more instructional parts of the session. The experience moves from tasting, to blending, to guessing, so the two hours should not feel like one long explanation.

Sampling Aberdeen Gin from French glass demi-johns

The class then turns to finished Aberdeen Gin expressions. Samples are served directly from French glass demi-johns, which adds a distinctive visual touch to the tasting.

You try both London Dry and fruit gins from the range. This matters because it lets you compare a more traditional style with fruit-led expressions. You can think about the difference between the botanical character of a London Dry and the sweeter or more immediately recognizable profile of a fruit gin, without being limited to one kind of bottle.

The samples also connect the earlier lesson to the distillery’s own products. You have already tasted ingredients separately and blended a glass yourself. Now you can consider how a commercial gin brings those elements together in a finished expression.

The range of samples is a strength for anyone considering a bottle to take home. It is easier to choose when you have tasted several options rather than buying based on a label alone. The available products are also suitable for people looking for gin to carry on a long journey, with the review of the experience noting a good selection for long-haul travel.

That shopping opportunity is a useful extra, but it should not be the main reason to book. The core of the class is the tasting lesson and hands-on blending. Purchases are an option after you have developed a better sense of what you like.

Ending with a G&T and open questions

At the end, you choose your preferred gin from the range and sip a final G&T. This is a satisfying finish because you have a basis for making the choice. You are not simply handed a standard drink and sent away.

The final question-and-answer session is one of the most practical parts of the afternoon. You can ask how long gin can be kept, what to look for when buying a bottle, whether London Dry Gin must come from London, and if making gin at home is possible.

These questions make the experience useful beyond the distillery. You can take the answers into future purchases and tastings. If you are new to gin, this is the moment to clear up basic confusion. If you already have a favorite style, you can ask more specific questions about the choices you made during the class.

I would save your questions as they occur to you. The session gives you time to ask them, and the informal format is better suited to a conversation than a formal presentation.

Is $108.71 good value?

At $108.71 per person, this costs more than a simple gin flight or a single distillery sample. The price makes sense only if you want the full experience: instruction from the head distiller, single-botanical tasting, a blending exercise, a mystery challenge, several Aberdeen Gin samples, two G&Ts, and a question-and-answer session.

I would judge the value by comparing it with the time and attention involved. You receive about two hours of guided activity rather than just a drink at a bar. The chance to create your own gin and taste the individual distillates gives the class more substance than a standard product sampling.

Still, this is not the right pick for everyone. If you only want to try one local gin, the cost may feel high. If you are interested in how flavor is made and enjoy guided tastings, the price is easier to justify.

The small maximum group size also helps. A class capped at 20 people should give the head distiller room to explain the process and answer questions, though the exact feel will depend on how many people attend that day.

Who should book this Aberdeen tasting?

I would recommend it most strongly to people who enjoy gin but want a clearer sense of what they are drinking. The single distillates make the class accessible to beginners, while the blending and mystery sample add enough structure for experienced gin drinkers.

It also suits couples, friends, and small groups looking for an afternoon activity with a social side. The session includes plenty of tasting, but it is not just a drinking stop. You will be asked to notice, compare, and make choices.

This may be less suitable if you do not drink alcohol or want a short, low-cost activity. The experience begins with a double G&T and continues with several samples, so it is a substantial tasting session. Service animals are allowed, and the venue is near public transportation, which may help with planning.

The English-language format is straightforward for English speakers. The mobile ticket makes entry simple, and confirmation arrives at booking.

Practical planning before you go

Book with the 2:00 pm start in mind. Since the activity finishes at the same distillery where it begins, you do not need to arrange a second pickup point. Nearness to public transportation makes the venue easier to reach without a car.

The experience requires good weather, and it also requires a minimum number of people. If poor weather or low attendance causes cancellation, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead are not accepted for a refund. The cut-off follows local time, so check the time in Aberdeen when making changes.

I would avoid scheduling a demanding attraction immediately afterward. Two hours of tasting can be lively and social, but the alcohol content means a quiet dinner or easy walk may be a better follow-up than a tightly timed appointment.

Final decision: book it if you want to understand gin

Book the Gin Tasting Masterclass if you want more than a glass and a quick explanation. The strongest feature is the way it breaks gin into individual botanical distillates, then asks you to blend them, identify a mystery flavor, and compare finished Aberdeen Gins.

The $108.71 price is a serious consideration, but the class gives you a full two-hour program with several drinks and direct guidance from the distillery team. I would choose it for a gin enthusiast, a curious beginner, or anyone who enjoys tasting with a bit of friendly competition.

Skip it if you are looking for a cheap drink, a short stop, or a general Aberdeen sightseeing tour. This is focused, alcohol-centered, and hands-on. For the right audience, it offers a useful way to taste with more attention and leave with better questions for the next bottle.

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 experience starts at 2:00 pm.

How long does the class last?

The activity lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the experience finish?

It finishes back at the City of Aberdeen Distillery meeting point.

What is included in the tasting?

The session includes a G&T on arrival, single botanical distillates, gin samples, and a final G&T chosen from the range.

Will I taste different types of Aberdeen Gin?

Yes. The tasting includes London Dry and fruit gin expressions from the Aberdeen Gin range.

Do I get to make my own gin?

Yes. After tasting the individual distillates, you blend them together to create your own glass of gin.

Is the mystery botanical challenge included?

Yes. You receive a mystery botanical as a single distillate and try to identify it from its flavor.

How many people can join the experience?

The activity has a maximum group size of 20 people.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.