Taking place for the sixth time, this year's Juniper Gin Festival is at Edinburgh's Summerhall from Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June.

The first one was held in 2014 and claims to have been Scotland's first gin festival.

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery then Juniper should be very flattered by the huge number of other gin festivals which have sprung up in its wake.

It has certainly been popular.

Apparently, over the years, Juniper has welcomed some 10,000 guests and played host to more than 150 gin brands from around the world.

Most of the sampling action at Juniper 2019 will take place in the Ballroom. As always with Juniper, it attracts a good turnout of distillers from the various gin brands and guests will have plenty of opportunities to quiz the producers about their favourite gins.

Some of the country's finest cocktail makers will be strutting their stuff in the Dissection Room while the Anatomy Theatre will be the venue for a wide range of masterclasses and talks.

G 'n' T on arrival

There are four sessions over the three days. One on Friday night, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday. Tickets are £20 plus booking fee which buys you a G 'n' T on arrival; gin and cocktail sampling plus all the talks and masterclasses you can handle.

Of course, there will be street food to munch on but there are lots of 5pm member restaurants in the surrounding area if you want to book a table.

One that sticks out is 56 North, the Causewayside bar that specialises in gin.

As well as a food menu packed with sharing boards, tacos, steaks and burgers, 56 North has a mini distillery on the premises and it is possible to create your own bespoke gin at the bar.