Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh marks a significant point in the city's distilling history, being the first single malt whisky distillery to open in the capital for almost a century. Located in the heart of Edinburgh, Holyrood Distillery is a revival of the city's rich distilling heritage, which had been dormant since the closure of the last operational malt distillery in the 1920s.
Founded in 2019, Holyrood Distillery was born from the vision of Canadian couple, Rob and Kelly Carpenter, and Scotsman David Robertson, who collectively sought to bring single malt whisky distillation back to the city centre. The distillery occupies a carefully renovated 180-year-old building, which was once part of the Edinburgh & Dalkeith Railway, showing a beautiful blend of historic and modern industrial design.
The name itself, Height of Arrows, is the literal translation of Àrd-Na-Said, the Gaelic name for the Edinburgh mountain Arthur’s Seat. Standing at 251m, the height of Arthur's Seat is said to be the furthest distance an archer could shoot a bow.
Height of Arrows Gin takes an interesting approach to botanicals, being made from just one: juniper. This is supported with sea salt and beeswax (neither of them strictly speaking of 'botanical' and the result is outstanding. With a dominant juniper character but surprising amounts of citrus and herbal complexity, this gin is a demonstration of what can be achieved with juniper alone... or nearly alone.
