Tipsy Midgie is a new whisky and gin drinkery located between Arthur’s Seat and the St Leonard’s Street cop shop made famous by Ian Rankin. On the North/South axis, it is between Dumbiedykes and the Holyrood distillery.
Previously Jeanie Dean’s, the bar has been revamped and now has the feel of a connoisseurs’ club rather than a ‘spit and sawdust’ howff.
A classy royal blue colour scheme nods to the design of owner Colin Hind's previous successful ventures, namely, The Kilted Lobster and The Whisky Forager. Textured wallpaper, a neon blue sign, and a polished resin bar with swirls of indigo, sea green and amber are contemporary features while the welcome is traditional and friendly.
Colin is affable and his passion for and knowledge of the Uisge Beatha very much sets the scene.
We think Rebus would approve.
On a Sunday afternoon, the ambience is mellow as the sun filters into the bar. I am with Mr Bite and my friend Liz, who comments that Tipsy Midgie would make an ideal film set location. Whisky advertisers take note.
A few people are in for the Sunday afternoon ‘Flight Club’, a blind tasting of five single malts. Mr Bite and I both choose drinks from the ‘Hyball’ menu where Colin uses Scotland's six whisky regions as inspiration, takes the flavour profile and then adds mixers to create unique drinks. We both love the “Bour Bon-Bon”: Deanston Kentucky Cask with Red Cola and Lime Granita, with the latter balancing the sweetness of the spirit and cola. Mr Bite also samples the “MonstArdbeg '' which combines Ardbeg Wee Beastie with rosemary salt and a splash of Buckfast. Served in a rocks glass, Colin says it is his take on a Scottish margarita or a “maggie/rita”.
Liz and I also sample perfect gin serves. She has Seaglass Gin with Yuzu and I have Secret Herb Garden Rose Gin with Mandarin. Colin also recommends a couple of whiskies for us to try, Whisky Row stands out. So does ‘Ana’, a birch liqueur from wild food and drink innovators Buck and Birch - a great after-dinner sipper. Glassware is beautiful and drink appropriate, mostly vintage.
Colin regularly goes to a station behind the bar and we hear clanging and ice-crushing noises which remind us of the Tom Waits song “What’s He Building in There”. In this instance, it is unique drinks that reflect both his passion for whisky and a 'cheffy' lens on flavour innovation (S. Wilson).
