Edinburgh’s Holyrood Distillery has launched their inaugural single malt whisky – Arrival – the first to be produced in the city for over 100 years. The release was marked with a weekend of celebrations, and also the launch of a brand new experience – the ‘Journey to Whisky’ tour.
Following the official launch event in October, Holyrood Distillery has opened its doors exclusively for local Edinburgh residents as a thank you to the local community. Visitors received a complimentary fully guided tour of the distillery, plus a welcome cocktail, and some of the very first pours of Arrival.
The distillery now offers a new experience to fully showcase the story of progression from their opening in 2019 to the launch of their first whisky, with the newly launched ‘Journey to Whisky’ tour. Visitors will be guided through the full whisky production process, learn how heritage barleys, speciality malts and experimental yeast strains are used to create a truly unique range of products. Tasting samples are provided throughout the tour to highlight the progression of the spirit to full maturity – ranging from new-make spirit, aged new-make and the newly released Arrival single malt whisky. It is anticipated that this tour experience will continue to evolve as the distillery releases further batches of fully released whiskies across the next year.
In line with the inaugural release, Holyrood Distillery also cemented its commitment to community collaboration by embarking on an exciting partnership with Edinburgh College of Art. A bespoke illustration was commissioned for a limited edition range of merchandise to celebrate the journey to Arrival, with further plans in the pipeline to work with other students who submitted pieces for future projects.
Rob Carpenter, Founder at Holyrood Distillery said, “This year, Edinburgh has been well and truly placed back on the whisky-making map and we’re incredibly proud to be part of this revolution. Arrival embodies our story so far as whisky makers, and marks the beginning of a journey of progression, innovation and experimentation.
“Just as the distillery is a part of Edinburgh, our city and its people, heritage and culture are what we draw inspiration from every day. Our bottle avoids whisky cliché and leans into something a little more local, putting the Holyrood hourglass front and centre. The distinctive beer bottle silhouette and brown glass also pay tribute to a once-bustling glassworks located not too far from our distillery.”
Click here to find out more about Holyrood Distillery tours.
