Arrival is the distillery’s first whisky since it was founded in 2019 in a refurbished engine shed in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town.
“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,” said Rob Carpenter, founder of Holyrood Distillery.
“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.”
Arrival has been produced using traditional Scotch pot still malt and distilling yeast, with each future release evolving from this recipe by layering in heritage and speciality malts alongside yeasts not commonly associated with scotch production.
“This spirit has been matured in oloroso butts, Pedro Ximénez hogsheads, bourbon barrels and rum barriques,” explained distillery manager, Calum Rae.
“We selected this whisky as our inaugural release, to reflect the first stage of all Holyrood recipe development, whilst showcasing the incredible and complex flavours which can be achieved by Holyrood at any age.
“On the nose, I get dried fruits and a sweetness almost like butterscotch or sticky toffee pudding. Taking a sip, there’s digestive biscuit and ginger spice, with a wee savoury note. The finish is mouth-watering and for such a young whisky, there’s a surprising amount of complexity.”
The first bottle of the release will be sold as part of the Distiller’s One of One charity auction in aid of The Youth Action Fund which aims to transform the life chances of young people in Scotland aged between 16 and 25.
Arrival is limited to 8,188 bottles available directly from the distillery and in specialist retailers such as Royal Mile Whiskies, The Whisky Shop, Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange for a recommended price of £67.
