Gin Tasting Masterclass in Aberdeen

Aberdeen’s gin story gets much more interesting when you taste the ingredients one by one. This two-hour masterclass begins with a double G&T, then strips gin back to its building blocks so you can identify juniper and other botanicals before combining them yourself.

I like the hands-on format, especially the chance to make a personal gin blend rather than simply drink a flight of samples. I also like the relaxed team approach from Dan and Alan, whose enthusiasm helped create a small-group setting where people chatted and laughed. The main drawback is the price: at $108.71 per person, this is a serious spend for a two-hour tasting, particularly if you are not keen on gin.

Key details at a glance

• Taste gin ingredient by ingredient: Single distillates let you identify the separate flavors found in a traditional London Dry Gin.
• Make your own blend: You combine the distillates and test how different botanicals change the final drink.
• Challenge your palate: A mystery botanical gives you a chance to guess an ingredient from flavor alone.
• Try Aberdeen Gin in several styles: Samples include London Dry and fruit gins, served from French glass demi-johns.
• Finish with your choice of G&T: Your final drink is selected from the Aberdeen Gin range.
• Keep the group manageable: The class accepts a maximum of 20 people and runs in English.

Starting with a double G&T at 2 p.m.

The class begins at City of Aberdeen Distillery, at Arch 10, Palmerston Road, Aberdeen AB11 5RE. The scheduled start is 2 p.m., and the experience returns to the same place at the end. Since the session lasts about two hours, it fits neatly into an afternoon of exploring Aberdeen.

Starting with a double gin and tonic sets the tone right away. You are not sitting through a long introduction before getting a drink. Instead, the first G&T gives you something familiar to taste before the class starts asking you to think more closely about aroma, flavor, and the role of each botanical.

That opening drink also makes the technical parts easier to follow. Once you have tasted a finished gin, you can compare it with the separate ingredients that help shape it. I find that a useful approach for beginners, since gin can otherwise seem like one strong, busy flavor.

The double measure is worth noting. This is an alcohol-focused activity, not a quick sampling session, so plan your wider Aberdeen schedule accordingly. You may want to avoid booking another alcohol-heavy activity immediately afterward.

Tasting juniper and the single distillates

The most unusual part of the class is the chance to taste the botanicals separately. Each botanical used in a traditional London Dry Gin has been individually distilled, allowing you to sample the ingredients on their own rather than trying to pick them out from a finished bottle.

Juniper is the natural starting point. The class asks a simple question: what does juniper actually taste like? Many people know that gin must have a juniper character, but fewer have tasted that flavor in isolation. This exercise gives you a clearer reference point.

You then work through the other single distillates. The aim is not to memorize a list of tasting terms or pretend to have a professional palate. It is to notice contrasts. Some ingredients may seem familiar, while others may be harder to place once removed from the finished gin.

I like this part because it gives you a practical way to improve your tasting skills. You learn to slow down, smell first, take a small sip, and consider what you are noticing. The session is not just a series of drinks. It shows you how a distiller thinks about flavor.

The approach should suit both beginners and people who already buy craft gin. If you are new to gin, the ingredients help explain what you are drinking. If you already have a favorite bottle, the class gives you a better way to compare its character with other styles.

Blending your own gin from separate flavors

After tasting the single distillates, you get to combine them and create your own glass of gin. This is the point where the class shifts from tasting lesson to small-scale mixology exercise.

You are not simply choosing a bottle from a shelf. You are deciding which flavors should work together in one drink. The result may be close to a familiar gin style, or it may reflect your own preferences. The value is in seeing how a small change in the blend can alter the finished drink.

This hands-on section also helps explain why gin brands can taste so different even when they share the same basic style. A London Dry Gin can have a very different balance depending on its botanical mix, distillation choices, and proportions.

I would treat the activity as a playful experiment rather than a test of skill. You do not need a trained palate to take part. The class provides a clear structure, and the head distiller can answer questions while you work.

The one limitation is that the supplied details do not explain how much of your blend you make or whether you take a recipe home. If recording your formula matters to you, ask during the session. Still, the practical value comes from trying the process for yourself.

Guessing the mystery botanical

The class adds a small challenge after the blending exercise: you taste a mystery botanical as a single distillate and try to identify it.

This is a clever way to test what you have just learned. You have already sampled several individual flavors, so now you must rely on your own senses. It is less about getting the answer right than noticing whether you can recognize a botanical without seeing its name.

The challenge also keeps the session social. People can compare impressions and discover that the same aroma suggests different things to different palates. That suits the friendly format described by the team. Dan and Alan are associated with the warm, chatty atmosphere that helps the class feel less formal than a technical spirits lecture.

Do not expect a competitive tasting contest with complicated scoring. The available details point to a light, interactive test designed to make you pay attention. That makes it a good fit for a celebration, a couple’s activity, or a small group that wants something more engaging than a standard bar tasting.

Sampling Aberdeen Gin from French glass demi-johns

The next stage introduces samples from the Aberdeen Gin range. You taste both London Dry and fruit gins, served directly from French glass demi-johns.

The demi-johns are a small but appealing detail. They give the tasting a clear visual identity and make the presentation feel connected to the distillery rather than a generic bar pour. More importantly, the range lets you compare a classic gin style with fruit-led expressions.

The London Dry samples should appeal to drinkers who want to understand the traditional side of gin. The fruit gins provide a different direction, likely with a softer or more pronounced fruit character, though the available information does not specify the exact flavors offered on the day.

That variety matters when you reach the final drink. You can choose the gin that best suited your palate during the tasting rather than ordering blindly. If you already know you prefer fruit-forward drinks, the fruit range gives you a useful comparison. If you prefer juniper-led gin, the London Dry samples help you focus on that style.

The class does not appear to be built around a large number of brands from different producers. Its focus is Aberdeen Gin and the making of gin itself. That is a strength if you want local context and a closer look at one distillery. It may be less suitable if your main goal is to compare famous international labels.

Choosing your final G&T and asking questions

The experience ends with a G&T made using your preferred gin from the range. By this point, you have tasted the individual components, made a blend, attempted the mystery botanical, and sampled the house selection. The final drink gives you a chance to apply what you have learned in a straightforward way.

The closing Q&A is especially useful because it turns the class into a conversation rather than a fixed presentation. You can ask practical questions such as how long gin can be kept, what to look for when buying a bottle, and whether London Dry Gin must come from London.

You can also ask about making gin at home. The answers may help you understand what is realistic for a home enthusiast and what requires professional equipment or controlled distillation. Since the head distiller leads the class, this is the best point to ask about production rather than relying on general tasting advice.

I like having the questions at the end. You have already handled the distillates and tasted the range, so your questions are likely to be more specific. You may find yourself asking why one sample seems more aromatic or why a particular blend feels sharper, sweeter, or more herbal.

What the $108.71 price includes

At $108.71 per person, this is not a bargain tasting. You are paying for a guided experience that includes a double G&T on arrival, single distillates, several Aberdeen Gin samples, your own blending exercise, a mystery botanical challenge, and a final G&T.

The price makes more sense if you value instruction and participation. A basic gin flight would cost less in many places, but it would not normally show you the ingredients separately or let you create a blend. The head distiller’s guidance is a key part of what you are buying.

The value is also better for someone who wants to leave with a stronger understanding of gin. You learn how to recognize flavors, how a London Dry style is assembled, and how fruit gins differ from a classic expression. If you simply want two drinks in a pleasant setting, this class is likely too expensive.

The small maximum group size of 20 helps protect the experience. It should be easier to hear the explanations and ask questions than in a large commercial tasting. Still, 20 people is not an intimate private lesson, so do not expect one-to-one attention throughout.

A previous booking experience described a small, social group with plenty of conversation and laughter. That suggests the atmosphere can feel friendly rather than stiff, especially when Dan and Alan are helping things along. Group makeup will always vary, but the format encourages people to talk.

Planning your visit to Palmerston Road

The meeting point is City of Aberdeen Distillery, Arch 10, Palmerston Road. The activity begins and ends there, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup point or work out a separate finish location.

The venue is near public transportation, which is useful after a tasting that includes several alcoholic drinks. Service animals are allowed. The ticket is mobile, and confirmation is received at the time of booking.

The tour is offered in English. If you are comfortable following a tasting explanation in English, the botanical exercises should be easy to follow. If you need another language, this particular session does not provide that option.

The activity requires good weather and a minimum number of people. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. If the minimum group is not reached, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the 2 p.m. start time. Within 24 hours, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. The cut-off uses local Aberdeen time, so keep that in mind if you are booking from elsewhere.

Who will enjoy this Aberdeen gin class?

I would recommend it most strongly to curious gin drinkers who want to understand what sits inside the bottle. The single-distillate tasting and blend-your-own section give you more to do than a standard flight.

It also suits:

• Couples looking for a structured afternoon activity
• Friends who enjoy tasting sessions with conversation
• Visitors interested in a local Aberdeen producer
• Gin fans who want to compare London Dry and fruit styles
• Beginners who want an easy introduction to botanical flavors
• People who enjoy asking production and buying questions

It is less suitable if you dislike strong spirits, want a very short activity, or are looking for a broad comparison of many distilleries. The focus is firmly on gin, and the price is hard to justify if you will not taste most of the samples.

The alcohol level is another practical consideration. You start with a double G&T and continue through several samples before another G&T at the end. Eat beforehand, take your time, and use public transportation if that works for your plans.

Should you book the Gin Tasting Masterclass?

Book it if you want to understand gin by tasting its parts, not just by ordering another drink. The separate botanical distillates, personal blend, mystery ingredient, and choice of final G&T make this a hands-on class with a clear purpose.

I would skip it if $108.71 feels high for a two-hour activity or if you are not enthusiastic about gin. For the right drinker, though, the price buys more than alcohol. You get guided tasting, practical flavor training, local Aberdeen Gin samples, and time with a head distiller who can answer the questions that usually go unanswered at a bar.

FAQ

Where does the Gin Tasting Masterclass take place?

It takes place at City of Aberdeen Distillery, Arch 10 Palmerston Road, Aberdeen AB11 5RE, United Kingdom.

What time does the class start?

The scheduled start time is 2 p.m.

How long does the experience last?

The class lasts approximately two hours.

What is included in the tasting?

You receive a G&T on arrival, single botanical distillates, samples from the Aberdeen Gin range, a blend-your-own gin activity, and a final G&T selected from the range.

Is the class offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

How many people can join the class?

The activity has a maximum group size of 20 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded.

What happens if the experience is canceled?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, you are offered a different date or experience, or a full refund.