Holyrood whisky distillery

Set at the foot of Arthur’s Seat in central Edinburgh, Holyrood Distillery is a bold, modern single malt whisky distillery and visitor experience. Opened in 2019, it is the first working single malt distillery in the heart of Edinburgh for nearly a century. Built within a restored 19th-century railway goods shed at 19 St Leonard’s Lane, the site combines industrial heritage with contemporary craft. Just minutes from the Royal Mile, it is an accessible gateway into the city’s whisky revival.

Holyrood’s founders aimed to create a distillery focused on flavour exploration and innovation rather than tradition alone. Their philosophy—test, learn, improve, repeat—drives an experimental approach where each batch explores new combinations of malt, yeast, and cask type. The result is a series of distinctive, limited-release single malts and spirits that reflect Edinburgh’s creative energy.

House Style

Holyrood’s whisky is designed to highlight the influence of malt and yeast on flavour, producing spirits that are fruit-forward, textural, and aromatic. Expect notes of sweet malt, citrus, light spice, and gentle smoke, though each release differs due to the experimental nature of production. The distillery avoids maintaining a single fixed “house style,” instead embracing continuous evolution.

Production

• Malt & Yeast: Wide range of specialty and heritage barley varieties combined with multiple yeast strains to enhance flavour complexity.
• Mashing & Fermentation: Traditional copper and stainless equipment, with long fermentations to build fruity esters.
• Distillation: Two copper pot stills produce a refined and flavour-rich new make. The focus is on upstream flavour design rather than extended maturation.
• Casks & Ageing: Diverse cask program using ex-bourbon, sherry, and wine casks. Each small batch showcases different interactions between spirit and wood.
• Other Spirits: Alongside whisky, Holyrood produces Height of Arrows Gin, new make spirit, and experimental spirits under its Elizabeth Yard label.
• Sustainability: Use of an existing listed building minimizes environmental footprint; small-scale batches allow precision in energy and material use.

Visitor Centre

Holyrood Distillery is a major visitor attraction offering guided tours, tastings, and educational sessions. Guests explore the still room, spirits lab, and cask areas, ending with curated tastings of whisky and gin. The venue also includes a shop, bar with views toward Holyrood Park, and accessible facilities for all visitors.

Holyrood Distillery factsheet