Holyrood
For almost a hundred years, Edinburgh had no whisky distillery of its own – until Holyrood Distillery opened in 2019 inside a former goods shed of St Leonard's railway station dating back to the 1830s. Founded by Canadian couple Rob and Kelly Carpenter together with former Macallan master distiller David Robertson, Holyrood sees itself as a "new wave" distillery, deliberately unbound by long-standing distilling traditions.
Holyrood draws its inspiration from Edinburgh's own identity, landscapes, and brewing and distilling heritage. From Holyrood Embra to Ambir, you will find the right bottle for every occasion in our selection.
Content: 0.7 Liter (€67.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€39.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€88.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€101.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€135.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
CODE: BLACK25
Content: 0.7 Liter (€105.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€81.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€81.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Why was Holyrood Edinburgh's first new distillery in nearly a century?
Edinburgh's last whisky distillery, known as Glen Sciennes or Newington Distillery, closed back in 1925. It was only in 2019 that a working distillery returned to the Scottish capital with Holyrood. The Canadian couple Rob and Kelly Carpenter, both members of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, founded the distillery together with David Robertson, a Scottish-born former master distiller at Macallan. They chose a roughly 190-year-old goods shed at St Leonard's railway station as the site.
What makes Holyrood a "new wave" distillery?
Unlike long-established distilleries that closely follow traditional recipes, Holyrood deliberately experiments with different yeast strains, grain varieties, and cask types to capture the diversity of Edinburgh itself. Its first own single malt bottling, "Arrival", was released in October 2023.
Overview of the most popular bottlings
1. Holyrood Embra
Named after the Scots nickname for Edinburgh.
Taste: Fruity and fresh with soft grain sweetness.
Serving suggestion: An exciting introduction to this young Lowland distillery.
2. Holyrood Ambir
Matured using a combination of different cask types.
Taste: Warm spice with caramel depth.
Serving suggestion: For anyone wanting to discover experimental Scotch whisky.
Facts and figures
Location: St Leonard's, Edinburgh. Opened: 2019. Building: former goods shed, 1830s. Founders: Rob & Kelly Carpenter, David Robertson.