Holyrood Distillery

The Holyrood project originated several years before its 2019 opening. Rob and Kelly Carpenter, enthusiastic whisky collectors and SMWS members, secured council approval for the lease in 2015 and received planning permission in 2016. David Robertson — renowned for pioneering double-cask maturation at The Macallan — joined as co-founder and lead distiller, bringing both technical expertise and a vision for experimental production.

Construction on the former St Leonards Goods Shed began in 2018. The building, a handsome piece of Victorian railway architecture, was transformed into a working distillery while preserving its original character. The distillery opened for production and public visits in 2019 — the first new Edinburgh whisky distillery in nearly 100 years.

The first single malt, Arrival, was released in October 2023, representing a 4-year-old spirit built on the distillery's experimental character. A Founding Series comprising three further expressions — Embra (peated), Ambir (specialty malts), and Pitch (specialty yeast) — followed in sequence. The 2025 Re-Rack limited series explored contrasting cask influences in depth. That same year, the World Whiskies Awards named Holyrood Distiller of the Year, a landmark recognition for one of Scotland's newest producers.

Holyrood operates one wash still and one spirit still, giving an annual whisky capacity of around 53,000 litres — small by industry standards, but well-suited to the experimental model. Barley selection is wide-ranging, including heirloom varieties not commonly used in commercial Scotch production. Multiple yeast strains are used across different batches, directly influencing ester profiles and flavour development. A diverse range of cask types — from first-fill bourbon to wine and specialist finishes — is applied across the single malt range, ensuring that no two expressions are alike.

Height of Arrows Gin uses a distinctive botanical blend including juniper and Isle of Skye sea salt, produced on the same site.

Each Holyrood release is deliberately different, reflecting the experimental philosophy. The Founding Series gives a broad sense of the distillery's range:

• Arrival — The flagship unpeated expression: sweet malt, citrus, light spice, and a gentle warmth.
• Embra — The peated expression: sweet smoke, apricot, floral honey, minty dark chocolate, caramel wafers, and a subtle ashy finish.
• Ambir — Specialty malt character; the most grain-forward of the series.
• Pitch — Driven by specialty yeast selection; experimental ester character.

Height of Arrows Gin — Bold juniper with citrus, pepper, and clove on the nose; earthy palate with baking spices; clean, dry finish.

Holyrood Distillery welcomes visitors at its St Leonards address near Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. Tours of the converted Victorian goods shed are available, covering production and the experimental ethos of the distillery. A physical shop on site stocks the full spirits range. An online shop is also available at the official website. Booking details and current tour availability can be found at holyrooddistillery.co.uk.