The courtyard of Edinburgh’s City Chambers seemed like a sanctuary amidst the sea of madness that is The Royal Mile in August. I climbed the grand staircase up to the the inaugural Whisky Fringe, which sounded as if it was buzzing. In total there were 102 whiskies to taste according to one of the staff from Royal Mile Whiskies, the event organisers. My brochure listed nine exhibitors in this room, with 11 more in the Council Chamber, from small independents to the world’s largest spirit producer. The audience was an eclectic mix. Eager-to-learn tourists rubbed shoulders with whisky enthusiasts.Highlights in the first room included the unusually named Eleuthera from Compass Box and Adelphi’s 27-year-old Glen Grant which displayed a rich chocolate character.In the second room, the stand for Distillery Destinations who organise whisky tours of Scotland provided an interesting alternative. As well as talking to whisky experts, I tasted many more fine whiskies – too many to mention here! It was an enjoyable afternoon, and good value for my £10 ticket, especially as it included a goody bag containing miniatures, a tasting glass, a t-shirt and a copy of Whisky Magazine!