Holyrood Distillery Whisky and Gin Tour Edinburgh's First Malt
Walk through working stills and taste what you watched being made
Holyrood Distillery's whisky and gin tour in Edinburgh pairs a guided walk through the working distillery with a seasonal cocktail, samples of single malt whisky and award-winning gin, and a tutored tasting that explains how oak barrels shape flavour. The tour runs about an hour with a live English-speaking guide, and children from age 8 are welcome.
Step-by-step itinerary
Holyrood Distillery tour and tasting
- Arrive at Holyrood Distillery
- Enjoy a seasonal cocktail welcome
- Learn about distillery history
- Watch whisky production process
- Discover gin making with 3 ingredients
- Taste classic single malt whisky
- Participate in tutored whisky tasting
- Explore oak barrel flavour creation
What’s included
- Seasonal cocktail on arrival.
- guided tour of the working distillery with a live English-speaking guide.
- sample of Holyrood's classic single malt whisky.
- sample of Height of Arrows Gin.
- tutored tasting that explains how oak barrels shape flavour.
- Monday, Friday and Sunday 12:00 14:00 15:00
- Tuesday and Wednesday 12:00 14:00 15:00 16:00
- Thursday 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00
Information
Watch copper stills bubble and washbacks foam at Holyrood, Edinburgh's first single malt distillery in over a century.
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The experience
Holyrood Distillery sits in the heart of Edinburgh as the city's first single malt distillery in over a hundred years. Your guide meets you with a seasonal cocktail and walks you through the distillery floor where you watch the washbacks foaming and the copper stills bubbling: the actual stages of scotch production happening in front of you. This is not a museum display. It is the working space where the whisky is made.
The tasting part of the tour moves through two spirits. You'll sample Holyrood's classic single malt expression alongside their Height of Arrows Gin, which uses just three ingredients and has won awards. Your guide explains how the same distillery ethos (heritage malts, specialty yeasts, alternative approaches to flavour) shapes both the whisky and the gin. The gin section shows you how they apply whisky-making methods to a different spirit entirely.
The tutored whisky tasting goes deeper into how flavour gets built. Your guide walks you through Holyrood's selection of seasoned oak barrels from around the world and what each one contributes to the final taste. You taste the whisky knowing now what you saw on the distillery floor and understanding the barrel choices that shaped what's in your glass.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 17 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.
What is Holyrood Distillery and why is it significant in Edinburgh?
Holyrood Distillery is Edinburgh's first single malt distillery in over a hundred years, located in the city centre. It produces single malt whisky using heritage and specialty malts alongside alternative yeasts to create innovative flavours, and also makes the award-winning Height of Arrows Gin.
What do I actually see and do on the distillery floor?
You walk through the working distillery where you watch the washbacks foaming and copper stills bubbling as your guide explains the different stages of scotch production. You see the equipment and process in action, not behind glass.
How many spirits do I taste and what's included?
You taste two spirits: a sample of Holyrood's classic single malt whisky and their Height of Arrows Gin made with just three ingredients. A seasonal cocktail welcomes you at the start, and the whisky tasting is tutored so your guide explains how oak barrels from different regions shape the flavour.
How long does the tour take?
The tour runs about an hour and includes the guided walk through the distillery, the two spirit tastings, and the tutored explanation of flavour creation through barrel selection.
Operated by Holyrood Distillery. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 5 days ago
Holyrood Distillery Whisky and Gin Tour Edinburgh's First Malt
1h · EN
from £ 27 per person
≈ US$ 36 in your currency
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