The Edinburgh Bar Show (EBS) has become an important event in the UK’s hospitality scene. Attending the 2025 edition was a great reminder of why this event resonates with bartenders, drinks professionals, and enthusiasts.
From 6 to 9 April, EBS brought together a mix of Scottish and international bar culture for four days filled with seminars, bar takeovers, tastings, and social events around the city.
This year’s expanded four-day event provided more opportunities for learning, collaboration, and genuine industry engagement.
The Voodoo Rooms acted as the central EBS Hub, hosting various seminars while leading venues across Edinburgh held bar takeovers and brand activations.
Trade professionals were free to attend the event, demonstrating a commitment to accessible education and opportunity within the sector.
A particularly memorable seminar explored the impact of colour and temperature in cocktails. It was interesting to see how these sensory cues can influence not just the mood of a drink but the whole guest experience.
When asked about his approach to the seminar, Vasilis Kyritsis, co-owner of Line and The Clumsies in Athens said: “I love listening to new techniques, and my focus was more about how bartenders nowadays need to approach hospitality because the main thing that regular customers need from the bartender is added hospitality.
“I was trying to approach different perceptions using colours, some ingredients, and this kind of stuff, the way that people will fix their mood every time they come to the bar.”
“It’s not just about the drink, it’s also about how the customer feels about it too.”
Iain McPherson, founder of EBS and owner of Panda & Sons, said: “It keeps building and building, year on year. The brands support us a lot in distributing free education to the bar community.
“We hope to keep growing the seminar programme and hopefully grow to a bigger venue to have more capacity. It’s not just for Scotland- we have people coming up from London, Manchester, and Leeds, so it’s really nice to see.”
“We like to keep the seminars different every year and keep on top of the current trends. Also, by incorporating different international bars coming over, we encourage the local bars to showcase the amazing Scottish bar scene. There’s always room to improve, but we try to be as diverse as possible.”
Jamie Faulds, founder of EBS and Edinburgh Cocktail Week, said: “We want to showcase these amazing bars in Edinburgh and educate and inspire the next generation of bartenders. That’s not solely limited to Edinburgh- it’s all over Scotland and the UK.
“There are bartenders from Europe and the United States here, and it’s great to see everyone hanging out in the bars afterwards. It’s a close community.”
Among the programme’s highlights was the Johnnie Walker Drop at Princes Street, making its first UK appearance after successful runs in Athens and Berlin. I was invited to The Johnnie Walker Drop Bar, where I had the opportunity to try a selection of expertly crafted whisky cocktails, including the High Flyer and the Old Fashioned.
This immersive experience allowed guests to sample the latest Johnnie Walker release, Black Ruby, combining whisky tasting with digital art, soundscapes, and lighting design.
Some of Edinburgh’s top bars-including Panda & Sons, Lady Libertine, and Hey Palu-welcomed guest teams from acclaimed venues across the UK and beyond, creating plenty of opportunities to share ideas and fresh approaches.
The official opening and closing parties, hosted by brands such as Hendrick’s Gin, Monkey Shoulder, Bruichladdich, and The Botanist, provided further opportunities for networking.
A consistent theme throughout EBS was the value of collaboration between local and international bartending communities.
Kyritsis added: “Bartenders in the local area can have a chance to collaborate with the international industry, and I think that’s the key to a bar show because that’s the way that you highlight your concepts, products, cocktails and menus.
“That’s the point of our industry, the collaboration between different points of view and approaches to bartending. Working together, you take inspiration from other people.”
EBS demonstrated its commitment to future talent by providing masterclasses and personalised career advice through the Diageo Bar Academy’s Careers Lab. It benefitted both experienced professionals and those starting their careers in hospitality.
Whether you are a bartender, a brand ambassador, or simply an enthusiast eager to learn, EBS provides a welcoming space to connect, experiment, and be inspired.
Before next year’s Bar Show, enjoy Edinburgh Cocktail Week from 3–12 October, featuring £5 cocktails at 100 bars and the popular Cocktail Village at Festival Square.
