They're a hard-working lot at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, trying to tempt the Edinburgh public past the building’s bland 1980s façade into what is effectively a modern gin palace. Although the Sheraton has been around for more than 30 years, it was a 2012 refurbishment that created its bright and eye-poppingly colourful One Square Bar and Restaurant with the bar focusing very much on mother’s ruin.
Since 2015 it has had its very own brand of small batch gin in collaboration with local micro-distiller Pickering’s, there are around 60 other gins available behind the bar and, yes of course, you can do a connoisseur gin tasting here (£29.50 for four with matching tonics). Other spirits are available – and other cocktails obviously, even dessert cocktails – but if you want a gin cocktail in Scotland’s capital then you can’t ignore One Square.
They have gins of the week, and recommended perfect serves for each – these tend to be so good it makes more complicated mixes seem superfluous. For your superior G&T in that case, you might try Shetland Reel with a sprig of mint, slice of apple and Fever-Tree tonic; or Tanqueray Rangpur with Fever-Tree tonic again, and kaffir lime leaf.