Holyrood Distillery tours relaunch with new make spirit

Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery in almost 100 years, is set to relaunch their tours with a new gin and whisky experience from June 3, allowing visitors to taste their new make spirit for the first time.

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Visitors will explore the striking city-centre Holyrood Distillery in small groups – initially a maximum of six people on each tour - learning how the gin and whisky is made and an insight into the blend of tradition and innovation used by the distilling team.

After a truly sensory experience taking in both the gin and whisky distilleries, there’s the chance to enjoy a guided tasting of Holyrood gin or a flight of whisky new make spirit, before heading home with their own branded Glencairn glass.

Holyrood Distillery is the first single malt whisky distillery in the heart of Edinburgh for almost 100 years.

By law, whisky must be matured in the cask for a minimum of three years. The new make spirit comes directly from the whisky still - before the cask maturation process - and tasting it at this stage gives a unique insight into the flavours imparted through distillation.

The rare opportunity to taste the spirit allows visitors a chance to experience something that will go onto become some of the first whisky to be produced in Edinburgh for 100 years.

Tours last 60 minutes, but visitors should allow at least 30 minutes extra to enjoy their tasting flight in the distillery bar afterwards.

Tours cost from £25 per person and can be booked at www.holyrooddistillery.co.uk.

Holyrood Distillery’s brand home manager, Debs Newman said: “This really is a special opportunity to taste history in the making. With capacity for the groups being limited, these tours will not only be very safe, but allow for a truly personal experience. We just can’t wait to welcome people to our home again, and for them to be part of our story in unleashing Edinburgh’s whisky potential.”

Further gin and whisky tours and tastings will resume at Holyrood Distillery over the summer.

Holyrood Distillery’s Courtyard Bar is also open throughout the summer, serving up its own gin alongside drinks from carefully selected local independent brewers and distillers, and a delicious food menu from Hickory.

Visitors to the Courtyard Bar will exclusively have the chance to try HolyXXXX Gin which was designed by Holyrood Distillery manager Marc Watson to mark the end of lockdown.

The Evening News is supporting Forever Edinburgh, a joint campaign between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and VisitScotland. This encourages people to rediscover the city, its stories and places while supporting local businesses, promoting attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as lockdown eases.