Opened in 2019, Holyrood Distillery now produces Edinburgh’s first city-centre malt whisky for nearly 100 years, and is a major new visitor attraction.

Housed in a historic B-Listed former railway building, the distillery has a focus on flavour, and visitors can enjoy a hands-on, sensory experience to guide them through both the gin and whisky produced. Awarded Best Visitor Attraction, Icons of Whisky 2021, and runner-up Tourism Destination of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2023, Holyrood has also won multiple highly-coveted awards for its whiskies and other spirits.

Arrival was the inaugural single malt release from Holyrood Distillery and a single cask whisky (cask 147) has also now been released (although sold out online in just 8 minutes). There will be more to come in the months and years ahead.

Address:

19 St Leonards Lane, Edinburgh, EH8 9SH

This distillery is included as part of our Edinburgh Tour.

Directions:

Holyrood Distillery is conveniently located in the centre of Edinburgh:

• 15 minutes walk from both the Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace
• A two minute walk from main bus routes on Clerk Street and St Leonards Street
• On National Cycle Network number 1
• A 10 minute walk from the Edinburgh Bus Tours Stop at National Museum Scotland

Opening Times:

• Sun-Wed 11.15am-7pm
• Thurs-Sat 11.15am-8pm

Pets and animals are prohibited, with the exception of guide dogs, hearing or other registered assistance dogs.

Podcast:

In the May 2023 edition of the Distillery Tours podcast we speak to Holly Aynsley, PR & Events Manager and Calum Rae, Assistant Distillery Manager at Holyrood Distillery.

Holly tells us about the history of Holyrood and why you should go along to enjoy some of the brilliant experiences that are available. She also tells us about the distillery’s Mash Up Festival and how to get your hands on some tickets. Calum explains their approach to distilling and the experimental work they have been doing using different casks and yeasts. 

Tours:

Whether you are visiting a distillery for the first time, want to learn something new about modern whisky production, or simply try some of our delicious spirits – come and discover how we make our spirit with our range of tours and tastings, with experiences available for all levels of knowledge and interest.

JOURNEY TO WHISKY £29

Conversational and tasting-led, your tour takes you through the detailed processes of our single malt whisky production. Learn how we push the boundaries of what it means to be a modern whisky producer with our experimental approach to flavour, with samples provided throughout.

Duration: 1hr

HOLYROOD DISTILLERY TOUR £25

Our signature guided tour will take you through our gin and whisky production spaces, explaining the processes behind making our award winning Height of Arrows gin and our single malt whiskies. Get to know our spirits with sample tastings throughout your tour.

Duration: 1hr

BEHIND THE CASK: WHISKY TASTING EXPERIENCE £45

Intimate, conversational and tasting focused - a truly special whisky experience. Taste our very finest expressions - including a Distillery exclusive which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Duration: 1hr

HOLYROOD HIGHLIGHTS - WHISKY £12

Short on time, or just want to see the main event? Our Holyrood Highlights experience is the perfect choice for those who have been to a few distilleries before, or are simply on a tight itinerary. Get to know our whisky production area with one of our expert guides in our still room, followed by 15 minutes in our Cask Room where you'll enjoy a tutored tasting of a dram of single malt whisky.

Duration: 30mins

BREWING & DISTILLING HERITAGE WALKING TOUR £20-£30

Learn more about our city’s brewing and distilling heritage as you explore the forgotten breweries of Edinburgh’s Southside. Discover how the brewing industry has shaped our city by walking through history, exploring the neighbourhoods of St Leonard's, Canongate, and the famous Royal Mile. Hear stories about the infamous ‘Charmed Circle’; the unlikely origins of Scotland's beer industry with the much maligned 'brewsters'; and how our own Distillery played an important part in the city's brewing scene over 100 years ago.

Duration: 1hr 30mins

Other tours, experiences and events can be found regularly updated on the Holyrood Distillery website – including the seasonal Brewery and Distillery Walking Tour, annual signature events like Mash Up, and Newmake and Whisky Masterclasses.