Holyrood Park Distillery To Bring Distilling Back To Edinburgh

Given Scotland’s long standing history crafting single malt whisky, one would think there was distilleries in every part of this nation, including in the capital, Edinburgh. Such has not been the case there, however, for apparently the last 90 years. That’s may change soon, however, if little Holyrood Park Distillery gets its way.

This planned micro-distillery has a big name behind it in the form of whisky expert and former master distiller for The Macallan, David Robertson. He is looking to open Holyrood, including along with it a visitor experience, at the Engine Shed building in the heart of the city.

Having already gotten an initial lease agreement with Edinburgh leaders Holyrood, once a planning application is approved, will begin development of a facility which, once distilling by the summer of 2016, will employ up to 25 staff at various levels. It hopes to release a single malt whisky within four years, producing only 100,000 liters of alcohol per year and resulting in around 250,000 bottles of mature single malt in 8 to 12 years’ time.

The consumer side of the operation, including the visitor center, looks to be quite ambitious. According to the distillery,

the visitor experience [will be] fully integrated into the design of the facility. Visitors will be able to follow the distillation process from start to finish, experiencing at first hand the creation of Edinburgh’s only single malt.

The boutique distillery will also host an education facility to be used as a community and school resource for learning about whisky distilling and the rich history of the site. Visitors will be able to enjoy locally sourced food and drink at an on-site restaurant and bar and ambitions stretch to establishing a weekend market for local crafts and products in the courtyard.  Subject to final design and receipt of planning permission, there are also plans to provide facilities for community events.

“We are very excited by the prospect of resurrecting the proud tradition of distilling single malt whisky in Edinburgh,” said Robertson in a statement, “following a 90 year absence of whisky distilling in the capital. The production and export of whisky is perhaps Scotland’s most iconic industry, supporting huge numbers of jobs, and visiting a distillery is a must for most visitors to Scotland. It seems to us that the one place missing a single malt distillery is Edinburgh, the capital of the country known for the world’s most famous whisky – Scotland.”