Holyrood distillery opened in 2019 as the primary new distillery in Edinburgh in almost 100 years. They rapidly earned a status for his or her Holyrood gin. Later they launched a sequence of latest make spirits, experimenting with heirloom barley or totally different yeast varieties.
Since October 2023 a variety of effort is put into bringing their single malt whisky to the market. Not too long ago they launched The Founding Sequence: three single malts that characterize all kinds of flavour profiles.
The primary is Holyrood Ambir, a mixture of first-fill and second-fill bourbon barrels, with Oloroso butts and hogsheads. It options basic distillers malt with 5 specialty malts (chocolate malt, Vienna, Crystal 240, Highland peated and caramalt) in an effort to create a candy and creamy whisky.
I like the truth that they’re experimenting and researching, but it surely appears their present compositions are maybe a little bit too huge. I imply: six malt varieties and at least ten yeast strains – kudos for the transparency however will they’ll have a person influence? Then again there’s loads of room for extra particular releases, proper?
Holyrood Ambir (49,8%, OB 2024, bourbon + Oloroso casks)
Nostril: a little bit of a musty begin, with loads of creamy fudge certainly. Buttery caramel, bruised apples and a grapey word. A lactic word too. Then brown bread, beer wort and brown sugar, together with blueberry jam. Hints of shortbread and cake with lemon frosting. A relatively curious ensemble.
Mouth: relatively younger, with some huge grainy components – cornflakes as they counsel themselves – roasted grains and extra buttery cake. Then there are spicy notes (ginger, white pepper, gin botanicals) together with a vegetal word and a mildly bitter edge. A little bit of lemon zest and a delicate trace of darkish chocolate / mocha ultimately.
End: medium, with extra burnt biscuit notes, a savoury contact, darkish tea and pepper.
Definitely not the basic cornerstone expression that different distilleries are bringing out. Perhaps not an immediate crush however fairly an intruiging whisky. Obtainable from The Whisky Change or Royal Mile Whiskies as an illustration.
Holyrood Pitch is the latest (and ultimate) addition to the Founding sequence. It makes use of pot malt and brown malt (generally utilized in Porter beers) with two yeast usually reserved for crimson wine (Pepe Nero and Toro Nero). Add Oloroso casks and we’re in for a wealthy and nutty whisky.
Holyrood Pitch (49,4%, OB 2024, Oloroso casks)
Nostril: a little bit extra basic, and extra sherried too. There’s blackberry and milk chocolate, with hints of raisins and loads of chilly espresso within the background. Then hints of muesli with some roasted nuts and black peppercorns.
Mouth: now the roasted aspect is actually on high. Loads of espresso beans, darkish cocoa nibs, even a little bit tobacco. Some dried fruits and orange peels beneath. Then hints of Porter beer, with extra chocolate ganache and roasted nuts.
End: fairly lengthy, darkish and roasted, with oak spice and low pastry.
Barely spin-doctored once more, however I believe that is way more profitable. The roasted component is kind of highly effective (in some unspecified time in the future it jogged my memory of Glenmorangie Signet) and will get additional enhanced by the sherry casks. Properly made. Obtainable from Royal Mile Whiskies or LMdW as an illustration. Rating: 86/100
We stored the smoky whisky till the tip: Holyrood Embra. Right here they used a various vary of yeasts and added numerous ex-Islay casks to get a light smoky component.
Holyrood Embra (43,6%, OB 2024, first-fill bourbon + peated quarter casks + virgin American oak)
Nostril: candy lemons with delicate, ashy smoke. Hints of pears, gooseberries and inexperienced apple, in addition to a recent whiff of menthol. Then orange peels and vanilla. Even a light-weight floral contact.
Mouth: pretty delicate once more (Caol Ila model), with a lighter texture than those earlier than. Leafy notes with smouldering bonfires. Hints of white pepper, extra lemons once more, together with hints of burnt toast. The smoke will get louder in the direction of the tip, with a light trace of vegetal bitterness.
End: brief to medium, combining toasted nuts, earthy woodsmoke, lemon and black pepper.
Given the experimental take of the others, this had a light-weight, even barely docile nostril. On the palate there’s extra smoke to be discovered. This Embra has much less persona than the others, I’d say, which makes it choice if you happen to’re new to peat or just need a smoky springtime whisky. Obtainable from The Whisky Change or Royal Mile Whiskies as an illustration. Rating: 83/100
