Distill a Bottle of Rum on mini copper stills

The best part of this Edinburgh experience is that you do not simply taste rum, you make a bottle of your own. In a cosy room beneath the Cumberland Bar, you sample three rums, choose up to 10 botanicals, and run your recipe through an individual mini copper still.

I like the tiny group size, which gives you room to ask basic questions without feeling awkward. I also like the hands-on finish: your 500ml bottle is measured, labelled, named, and sealed with wax. The main thing to consider is the price, $123.40 per person, which makes this a special outing rather than a casual pub stop.

Key points

• Your own mini copper still: Distill a 500ml bottle using the ingredients you select.
• Up to 10 botanicals: Build a recipe with fruits, herbs, and spices.
• Three rum samples first: Taste before choosing the style and flavor direction.
• A small, personal class: The stated maximum is three people, with plenty of time for questions.
• Cocktails during the process: Enjoy a cocktail while your rum is being distilled.
• A finished Edinburgh keepsake: Bottle, name, label, and wax-seal your rum to take home.

A rum class with a bottle at the end

Sip Antics runs this three-hour rum-making session from a bespoke micro-distillery room connected with the Cumberland Bar at 1-3 Cumberland Street. You meet at the bar at noon, then settle into the distilling room for a guided session that mixes tasting, explanation, and practical work.

This is aimed at people who enjoy rum and want more than a flight of samples. You learn how flavors are built, then put that idea to work in a recipe of your own. The final product is not just a souvenir bought from a shelf. It is a 500ml bottle you helped create from start to finish.

The class also suits a birthday gift, a couple’s activity, or a small group of friends. It has a relaxed social side, but the format stays focused on rum. If you want a fast tasting before dinner, this is too long. If you like asking questions and making something tangible, the three hours have a clear purpose.

Starting at the Cumberland Bar at noon

The meeting point is the Cumberland Bar, a traditional-looking Edinburgh pub on Cumberland Street. You start there at 12:00 pm, and the activity ends back at the same meeting point.

On arrival, you receive a rum and mixer. This gives you a chance to settle in before the technical part begins. The room is described as cosy and old-fashioned, and that setting fits the activity better than a large modern classroom would. You are there to work with scents, samples, and small equipment, not sit through a formal lecture.

The group limit matters here. The stated maximum is three people, so the session can feel more like a private workshop than a standard tour. Gary and Neil are the named hosts associated with the experience. Gary is known for a warm Irish sense of humor, while Neil is described as an enthusiastic host who takes time with the process.

Because you may spend about three hours with people you do not know, a friendly host makes a real difference. The session is designed to keep things informal, so you can ask about an ingredient, question a step, or admit that you have no idea what a particular spice will do.

Three rum samples before you make a recipe

The first proper stage is a tasting of three different rums. This is useful preparation, not just a way to add more alcohol to the afternoon.

Tasting several styles gives you a reference point for the bottle you want to make. You can think about sweetness, spice, fruit, and the general character you prefer before choosing ingredients. The hosts explain rum, gin, flavor profiles, and the role of fruits, herbs, and spices as you go.

I like this order. You are not asked to choose botanicals blindly and hope they work. You taste first, smell the available ingredients, and then make decisions with some idea of the result you want.

The class is still a drinking experience, so pace yourself. You receive a welcome rum and mixer, sample three rums, and later enjoy a cocktail while your bottle is distilling. The activity is not suitable for someone seeking a dry, alcohol-free workshop, and you should inform the provider about allergies before attending.

Choosing up to 10 botanicals

After the tasting, you design your own recipe. The ingredient selection includes fruits, herbs, and spices, and you can choose as many as 10 botanicals.

This is where the experience becomes personal. You might build a festive recipe with warming spices, create a fruit-led bottle, or combine ingredients based on scent rather than a fixed formula. One memorable example from the experience involved a Christmas rum, while other participants made a Christmas gin.

You do not need to arrive with a polished recipe. The hosts help you think through the combinations and explain what may work together. That guidance is important because ten ingredients can quickly become too many if every flavor competes for attention.

The aroma stage is one of the more appealing parts of the class. Smelling herbs and spices gives you a direct sense of what you are adding. It is also a reminder that a spirit’s flavor does not come only from the base alcohol. Small changes in the botanical mix can push the result toward fruit, spice, sweetness, or something more unusual.

If you are buying this as a gift, the recipe makes the bottle more meaningful. Two people attending the same class can make completely different drinks, then name and label them to match.

Using your individual mini copper still

Once the recipe is chosen, you use an individual mini copper still to distill it. This is the most hands-on section of the afternoon.

The equipment is small enough to make the process easy to follow. You are not watching a large industrial still from behind a barrier. The still is part of your own workstation, and the hosts explain what is happening as your ingredients are processed.

The class gives you a basic look at distillation without pretending to turn you into a professional distiller in one afternoon. You learn through the equipment, the smells, and the conversation. The experience also covers rum and gin, so the information has a wider use if you already enjoy spirits or want to explore a future hobby.

The wording around the finished drink matters. You produce a 500ml, or 50cl, bottle to take away, and the spirit is measured for proof before bottling. That gives the final stage a practical touch. You are not simply pouring flavored liquid into a souvenir bottle and calling it done.

While your rum is distilling, you enjoy a cocktail. This pause keeps the session from becoming a long wait and gives you time to compare notes with the other people in the room. The cocktail is part of the scheduled experience, not an extra detail you need to arrange.

Bottling, naming, and sealing your rum

When the distillation is complete, you taste the result before it goes into the bottle. This is a useful moment because you experience the flavor as a finished spirit, rather than relying only on the smell of the raw botanicals.

You then bottle the rum, label it, give it a name, and finish it with a wax seal. The sealing step adds ceremony without making the process feel stiff. It also helps the bottle look like a proper present or shelf piece when you take it home.

The finished bottle is the strongest value in the experience. You leave with something physical, personal, and connected to the afternoon. It is also the kind of souvenir that can wait for a celebration at home. Several people chose to let their rum sit for a few weeks before opening it, although the hosts encourage you not to leave it untouched for a year.

You should think of this as a flavored rum-making session rather than a chance to produce a completely commercial-style spirit. The pleasure comes from choosing the ingredients, learning the basics, and seeing your own recipe through the still and into the bottle.

Why the small group makes a difference

A three-person maximum is one of the strongest features. Small classes allow the host to spend time with each recipe and answer questions at the right moment.

That matters for beginners. You can ask why one herb works with a fruit, what a spice contributes, or how the proof is measured without worrying that you are holding up a large class. The friendly tone described by people who attended also helps make the technical material less intimidating.

It is a good fit for friends who want to do something together, but it can work for solo visitors too. The activity is social by design, with tasting and cocktails built into the afternoon, yet the small room keeps the focus on your own bottle.

One note of caution: the experience information gives a maximum of three, while one published comment refers to a larger group size. If exact group size is important to you, confirm it with Sip Antics when booking. The stated booking details identify three as the maximum.

Is $123.40 good value?

At $123.40 per person, this is not cheap compared with a standard Edinburgh pub experience or a simple rum tasting. The price makes more sense when you count what is included: the welcome drink, three rum samples, cocktail, instruction, access to a mini copper still, and a 500ml bottle of your own rum.

You are also paying for the small format and the host’s time. A larger class could spread the cost across more people, but it would not offer the same personal attention. If you are mainly interested in tasting rum, you can find less expensive ways to do that. If you want to learn, make a recipe, and take home a finished bottle, the price is easier to justify.

The experience is especially good value as a gift. The bottle gives the recipient something to open later, and the process makes the present more memorable than a standard purchased bottle. Couples and close friends also get a shared activity rather than another object to carry home.

Still, be honest about your interests. If you rarely drink rum, dislike experimenting with flavors, or want a short activity between major Edinburgh sights, you may not get enough from the cost.

Who should book this Edinburgh experience?

I would choose this for a rum fan, a curious home bartender, or anyone who enjoys making things by hand. It also suits a birthday treat, a small celebration, or a gift for someone who already owns plenty of bottles but wants a story behind the next one.

You do not need advanced distilling knowledge. The hosts explain the process from the start, and the friendly format welcomes basic questions. The activity can also appeal to gin drinkers because the session covers gin and rum, and some people choose to make gin instead.

This is less suitable for children or anyone avoiding alcohol. The experience includes several tastings, a welcome rum and mixer, and a cocktail. You should also report any allergies in advance because you will work with a range of herbs, spices, and other ingredients.

The location is practical for an Edinburgh day out. You meet at a central pub on Cumberland Street, and public transportation is nearby. The activity ends at the same place, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup point.

Booking and cancellation details

The activity is offered in English and comes with a mobile ticket. It is often booked about 41 days ahead, so leaving this until the last minute may not work, especially if you need a particular date.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that period are not accepted for a refund. Service animals are allowed, and the provider asks you to share allergy information before the session.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want an active, social rum experience with a bottle to show for it. The mix of three tastings, botanical selection, mini-still distillation, cocktail, and wax sealing gives the afternoon a satisfying shape.

I would skip it if you only want a quick drink or if $123.40 feels too high for a flavored 500ml bottle. For the right person, though, the value is in the full process. You learn enough to understand the basics, make choices that reflect your taste, and leave Edinburgh with a one-off bottle that cannot be bought from an ordinary shop.

FAQ

Where does the rum-making experience start?

It starts at the Cumberland Bar, 1-3 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh EH3 6RT, UK.

What time does the experience begin?

The stated start time is 12:00 pm.

How long does the activity last?

The experience lasts approximately three hours.

How many people can attend?

The stated maximum is three travelers.

What do I take home?

You take home a 500ml, or 50cl, bottle of rum that you distilled, bottled, labelled, named, and wax-sealed.

How many botanicals can I choose?

You can choose up to 10 botanicals for your custom recipe.

Are drinks included?

Yes. You receive a rum and mixer on arrival, taste three rum samples, and enjoy a cocktail while your rum is distilling.

Is the activity offered in English?

Yes, the experience is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.