Royal Mile Whiskies: Tastings at the new York shop

Royal Mile Whiskies are hosting free tastings at their new York shop on Saturday 26 September, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The day is built around two names: Spirit of Yorkshire and Fragrant Drops, both of whom will be pouring throughout the window, so you can drop in whenever suits you rather than committing to a set time.

If the name isn't familiar, it's worth knowing where they've come from. Royal Mile Whiskies is an independent specialist that started with a single shop on Edinburgh's Royal Mile back in 1991. From there it grew into one of the world's most respected specialist retailers and a major wholesaler of spirits across Scotland, supplying many of the country's best hospitality venues. They were also among the first to move into online retail, launching their website in 2000. The York shop on Coney Street is part of their expansion beyond Edinburgh, alongside a second new site in St Andrews. Coney Street itself was once known as York's Golden Half Mile, and this is the latest addition to the stretch.

Beyond the shelves, they run the Whisky Fringe, a tasting event held at Mansfield Traquair in Edinburgh, and offer a bespoke bottling service for venues, events and corporate gifts. The York shop is their first foothold in the city, and this tasting is one of the first things they're doing to mark the opening.

It's a simple setup: free tastings from Spirit of Yorkshire and Fragrant Drops, running from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday 26 September at Royal Mile Whiskies, 11 Coney Street.