The cocktail is king in Edinburgh. Yes, there are whisky bars where you can nurse a dram, and plenty of boisterous pubs, but the cocktail cognoscenti have an eclectic list of drinking dens to choose from—no fewer than three launched by bar impresarios, Mike Aikman, and Jason Scott. Bramble, opened in 2006, is a tiny Boho basement bar, all exposed brickwork, dimly lit nooks and crannies, alcoves for lounging, bartenders conjuring up margaritas in teacups, and delicate lavender martinis. The pair are also responsible for The Last Word Saloon in Stockbridge and the Lucky Liquor Co., which opened in 2013 just a block from Bramble, but with a completely different vibe: It's full of natural light and focuses on 13 cocktails and spirits (lucky, get it?), which change quarterly.