Since we met, I have always known that Brent is a Scotch whisky fan. Originally my plan was to surprise him with a tour of the Balvenie distillery; however, the location of the distillery would have resulted in a complete deviation of our meticulously planned itinerary. Thankfully with the help of good ol' Google, I managed to discover Holyrood, a single malt whisky and gin distillery nestled in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland.
We had experienced a few delays on our travels from Manchester to Edinburgh, arriving in the city less than an hour from our scheduled booking for the tour at the distillery. After tossing our luggage in our hotel and making a mad dash through the busy city streets, we arrived flushed and breathless at the entrance of the renovated 180-year-old building. Just in time.
Pulling open the doors, we were instantly greeted by a rich aroma of juniper and botanicals. During our tour we would learn about the important process of carefully selecting the highest quality ingredients to create a flavorful and aromatic spirit. Holyrood prides themselves on being innovative, which became evident as we learned more about their experimentation process. A bright lemon-yellow neon sign with the phrase "test. learn. improve. repeat" lit up a corner of the lab - a reminder of their mission and purpose.
Upon beginning the tour we learned that Holyrood opened in 2019, becoming the first new distillery to operate in the area in almost a century. Our guide educated us that the scotch aging process requires a minimum of 3 years in a cask and although they have started this process, their first single malt whisky wouldn't be available for consumption for another several months (released in October 2023). This lengthy process is why many distilleries, including Holyrood, choose to also produce gin, as it is a spirit that can be made and enjoyed in a matter of one to two weeks.
Gin isn't the only money generator for new whisky distilleries. New make, or unaged whiskey, is a high-proof alcoholic liquid (approximately 70% abv) that comes off the still after the distillation process. The spirit is sharp and has a harshness going down the throat, but with the perfect balance of ingredients it can make an excellent cocktail base.
Although we didn't get the opportunity to try their single malt whisky during this visit, we were lucky enough to sample some of their perfectly balanced gins and new make spirits, each a testament to their dedication to craftsmanship.
One of the biggest highlights of the tour was getting to see the production spaces. As we walked through each area, we learned more about the time-consuming process of creating the perfect scotch - harvesting the barley, malting then drying the grain, milling and then mashing, fermenting, distilling and finally aging - where the whisky will spend the next 3+ years soaking in the flavor of the wood casks. The longer that the whisky is able to age, the darker and more rich it will become. You'll commonly find bottles of whiskey that have been aged for 10-20 years on average. A 50-year-old whisky can easily cost you a pretty penny, with bottles ranging from $400-300,000. If you are a whisky aficionado, this could end up being quite the expensive habit.
For only $85,000 you can enjoy a 70-year-old bottle of Macallan from the Whisky Exchange
In the mashing room, our guide briefly uncovered one of the large mash tuns and allowed us to listen to the hiss of enzymes working to break down carbohydrates in the grain into sugar. Once the wash (sugar water) has cooled, the fermentation process officially can begin.
We were next led to the area that held a few giant containers called washbacks, where the wash and active yeast are added into the containers to begin fermentation. After fermentation, the liquid is moved to a tall copper wash still, where the lower-alcohol liquid (9% abv) is near-boiled and becomes a vapor. Once the alcohol vapor rises to the top of the still, it condenses and carefully moves down the neck and into the copper coils where it will be cooled with chilled water, returning to a liquid state. A second still, called the low wine still, is also used in the process, allowing the liquid to reach the appropriate alcohol level to make whisky (65% abv).
Finally, we were ushered into a dark and quiet cellar. I marveled at the wooden casks lined along the back wall where whisky lay aging, patiently waiting to develop its complex flavors.
At the end of our tour we headed back upstairs to settle in the cozy bar, where Brent enjoyed a further sampling of the spirits they had to offer.
The chance to not only learn more about the production of spirits, but to get to see the actual process itself was incredibly unique. As we plan our return trip to Scotland in just a few weeks, we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to taste the long-awaited single malt whisky from Holyrood. This distillery is a true gem of Edinburgh, offering a glimpse into the past while embracing the future of spirits production.
Learn more about Holyrood and schedule a tour: Holyrood Distillery - Edinburgh, Scotland
Cheers!
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