Whisky fans in the capital are being invited to step through the looking glass this weekend as the tiny doors of the 'World’s Smallest Whisky Bar' open again- this time as a fortune teller’s booth. The bar, located on Princes Street, at the corner of Shandwick Place and Hope Street, in central Edinburgh, will reopen to celebrate the launch of the second bottle in Cask 88’s Scottish Witchcraft Series, The Book of Daemonologie.
Herbalist and storyteller A manda Edmiston (Botanica Fabula) is set to haunt the whisky bar between 4 and 8.30 pm on October 28, 29 and 30, offering free samples of the upcoming single malt release.
While sampling the whisky, a specialised tarot card will be drawn for the visitor and their interpretation of the flavour notes in the whisky will be read through the cards.
The spirits will lure guests towards certain aromas matched to the tarot cards which will then draw on the past to divine what lies ahead. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about the botanical terroir of Scotland – the influence that its herbs, flowers and fruits have on its Scotch.
READ MORE: 'World's smallest' whisky bar opens in Edinburgh this week
Cask 88’s witchcraft series is inspired by Scotland’s notorious history of witchcraft. The first release commemorated the life of the wronged 17th-century woman Isobel Gowdie who was famously accused of witchcraft. Now, the latest bottling in the series, a single-cask whisky release, features a glow-in-the-dark label design inspired by the Book of Daemonologie written by King James VI, from which it takes its name.
Cask 88 say it is designed to highlight the ludicracy of James VI’s beliefs, the damage they had on the safety of women during the 16th and 17th centuries and the cautionary lesson that must never be forgotten.
Cask 88’s creative designer and illustrator, the driving force of the Scottish Witchcraft Series, Hannah Sneddon, said: “The design for this bottle references some of the beliefs perpetuated by King James VI of Scotland in his book Daemonologie, which was a major facet of one of the most gruesome chapters of our history, the Scottish Witch Trials. It is a dark but fascinating glimpse into the mind of a paranoid king obsessed with conspiracy.”
“Adorning an apothecary bottle that wouldn’t look out of place among a shelf of potion jars is a diorama of monsters, succubi, fairies, familiars, shapeshifters and magic charms. Obscured by the darkness, you may find yourself seeing things that aren’t really there at all...”
Cask 88 has partnered with the Stirling-based herbal storyteller, Botanica Fabula, whose specialised work brings to life other worlds and redolent layers of history.
Amanda said: “As a storyteller with a background in herbal medicine it was fascinating learning to taste whisky, it reminded me of one of my first jobs working for a small artisan perfumier, learning to distinguish between top and base notes and spot the subtle nuances of taste and aroma.
“The connection to my herbal practice quickly became apparent, the more I focused in on the subtleties of the whisky the more the botanicals that would have made the peat or been growing around the barley presented themselves, so developing a look at the tastes and properties of the whisky has been an enlightening process.”
Those wishing to book a free 15-minute slot for the whisky-tasting divination experience can do so here.
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