Holyrood Distillery: Edinburgh's New Whisky Distillery in a Railway Goods Shed
Updated: 24 hours ago
Holyrood opened in 2019 as the first new distillery in Edinburgh in nearly a hundred years. It lives in a former railway goods shed and has become known for experimenting with heritage barley varieties and specialty yeasts.
In this guide
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Holyrood at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Region | Lowland, Scotland |
Ownership | Holyrood Distillery founders and investors |
History | Opened 2019 |
Whisky and production | Explores different barley, malt and yeast choices |
Named expressions | Holyrood Arrival, Holyrood Embra, Holyrood Ambir |
Visits | Verify public access, current tours and opening times with the distillery before travelling. |
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Quick facts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Opened: 2019, with tours
Founders: Rob and Kelly Carpenter and David Robertson
Building: the former goods shed of St Leonards railway station
Makes: Scotch whisky and gin (Height of Arrows)
First single malt: Arrival, October 2023
History
Rob and Kelly Carpenter, who had earlier founded a branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Canada, started the project with David Robertson, who had previously worked for Macallan. Their bid to take over the council owned St Leonard's Engine Shed lease was approved in 2015 and planning permission followed in 2016.
Building began in 2018 after the company raised 5.8 million pounds from the Scottish National Investment Bank and private investors. The distillery opened to the public in 2019. It ran a week of free tours for its fifth anniversary in July 2024.
Range
Its first single malt, Arrival, came out in October 2023. The name nods to the building's railway past and the bottle was designed to resemble a beer bottle. The first bottle was auctioned by the Worshipful Company of Distillers for a youth charity.
A founding series of three single malts followed: Embra (peated), Ambir (specialty malts) and Pitch (specialty yeast). A limited Re-Rack series themed on casks launched in 2025. The Strong Waters series of new make bottlings began in 2022 using heritage barley such as Golden Promise and Chevalier, and later international yeasts including sake yeast and Mexican lager yeast.
Gin and awards
The gin brand is Height of Arrows, named after a claimed former Gaelic name for Arthur's Seat. It uses a single botanical, juniper, with Isle of Skye sea salt and beeswax. In 2025 Holyrood was named Distiller of the Year at the World Whiskies Awards in London.
Sources and gaps
Gaps for Filip: the staff and capacity details are from 2019 coverage, so check the current team, owners and range with ABVs on the official site, which was not reached. Set the URL slug in SEO settings.
What makes Holyrood distinctive?
Explores different barley, malt and yeast choices
Holyrood whisky bottle and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Holyrood Arrival | NAS / batch varies | Check bottle | Explores different barley, malt and yeast choices |
Holyrood Embra | NAS / batch varies | Check bottle | Explores different barley, malt and yeast choices |
Holyrood Ambir | NAS / batch varies | Check bottle | Explores different barley, malt and yeast choices |
This compares documented expressions, not live shop stock. Strength, age, casks and availability can vary by release; check the producer's bottle information.
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Frequently asked questions about Holyrood
Is Holyrood in Edinburgh?
Yes, in a former goods shed of St Leonards railway station.
What was its first single malt?
Arrival, released in October 2023.
What are the founding series whiskies?
Embra, Ambir and Pitch.
Can you visit?
It opened for tours in 2019. Check the official site for current times and prices.
Where is Holyrood based?
Lowland region, Scotland; see article details.
Sources and editorial checks
Original historical research and source notes are preserved in this guide. Producer details, distillery access and releases may change.
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About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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