News & Events

Members are invited to enjoy a special whisky tasting evening at The Merchants Hall, hosted in partnership with The Water of Life Society (WOLS). This event is intended as “a first sip” — an opportunity to sample exceptional whiskies while exploring the appetite for establishing a Royal Company of Merchants Whisky Club.

The evening at a glance:

Tickets: £20 per person for a guided tasting flight of five whiskies

Date: Wednesday 11th February 2026

Time: 18:00 - 21:00

Format: A blind whisky tasting in The Merchants Hall,

after which all sampled whiskies will be discussed and enjoyed

Why this tasting?

🥃 Come help us to gauge interest and, should enthusiasm be sufficient, lay the groundwork for a Member-led club.

🍾 A first-year ambition would be the creation of a club bottle for possible use at future Company events.

Reflecting on The Great Caledonian Swim

What do you really need to swim 60 miles?
A pair of goggles? A wetsuit?
No – you need purpose, resilience and a cause worth every stroke.

This exclusive Evening Speaker event invites Members to hear the moving story of Iain Sinclair, a fellow Member of The Royal Company of Merchants who achieved a world-first charity swim along the full length of the Caledonian Canal.

Over ten days in September, Iain completed the 60-mile route, navigating all 29 locks, raising vital funds and awareness for Crohn’s & Colitis UK, the British Heart Foundation and Mikeysline. What began as a personal challenge with a £60,000 target quickly exceeded all expectations.

A former Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby flanker, Iain’s motivation runs deeper than endurance alone. Following major surgery for indeterminate colitis in 2013, and swimming in memory of two close friends, the challenge became a powerful act of remembrance.

Widely covered by the national media, this is an exciting and exclusive opportunity for Members to hear the story first-hand. 

Book now to secure your space. This Guest Speaker and Q&A event will be followed by a wine reception.

Join our CEO and Secretary, Guy Cartwright, for a presentation open to all Company Members and guests.

An Insider's Guide to The Royal Company of Merchants will take place on Tuesday 24th February, 5:30 PM for a 5:45 PM start, followed by a wine reception until 7:30 PM.

Guy will provide a comprehensive overview of the Company’s activities, including:

• Our relationship with the Merchant schools.
• The charities we support and collaborate with.
• Merchant Hall Limited and how we operate the Hall.
• Your Executive Team and social life at the Company.

This is a great opportunity to gain deeper insight into the Company’s work and discover ways to get involved. If you have any questions about this event, don’t hesitate to reach out to membership@merchantsedinburgh.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join the IWN for its next event. A networking space open to all to learn and share over drinks and nibbles.

The Inclusive Women's Network (IWN) is an inclusive networking space, open to all people of all genders, from all industries, without limitations of experience, level, seniority or sector. The IWN is a network that hosts events where you can meet people in different fields, share experiences and learn from some of the best speakers about their careers.

This will be the tenth event from the IWN - and to celebrate, this will be hosted on home soil, in Edinburgh, by The Royal Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh. The theme of this event will be Community and Connection. Together, IWL and the Company will explore the power of community across careers and how meaningful connection and networking can empower us, reflecting the mission at the heart of The Royal Company of Merchants.

Laura Norman, founder of Chroma Marketing Ltd, will discuss her experience of community and connection as she founded a successful firm providing sustainable marketing strategies for small businesses. There will then be an open floor Q&A to allow attendees to ask any questions.

Please bring your colleagues, friends, family, partners and anyone else who you think would enjoy this event.

Following the success of last year’s strategy day, we are delighted to invite ALL Members to join us for the 2026 Company Strategy Day.

With our Mission and Values now affirmed, the focus of this year’s discussion will be CONTRIBUTION and IMPACT — exploring how we support our communities and charities, and how we strengthen our connection with the City of Edinburgh.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Saturday 21st March
Arrival: 9.00am
Meeting start: 9.30am
Finish: 4.00pm

Refreshments, lunch and wine will be provided.

To make your Membership count, this is your opportunity to contribute your ideas, share your perspective and help shape how we deliver meaningful impact together in the year ahead.

Hear the latest updates from The Royal Company of Merchants, help us to welcome new Members, and enjoy a wine reception. In keeping with Company tradition, you are warmly invited to bring a guest to the reception following the meeting. Please indicate whether your guest will be joining you when registering.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Merchants Hall.

Hear the latest updates from The Royal Company of Merchants, help us to welcome new Members, and enjoy a wine reception. In keeping with Company tradition, you are warmly invited to bring a guest to the reception following the meeting. Please indicate whether your guest will be joining you when registering.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Merchants Hall.

Hear the latest updates from The Royal Company of Merchants, help us to welcome new Members, and enjoy a wine reception. In keeping with Company tradition, you are warmly invited to bring a guest to the reception following the meeting. Please indicate whether your guest will be joining you when registering.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Merchants Hall.

Join us at 17:30 for our 2026 AGM to hear all the latest updates from the Company in advance of The Kirking on Friday 6th November.

• The meeting will be followed by wine and light bites.
• Members are welcome to invite a guest to the reception following the meeting.
• We politely ask that guests arrive after 18:30. Please select if they will be joining you after the meeting when registering.