Single Malt Red Wine Yeast 'Full Cask' No 2039
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this single malt does not age further in the bottle and is ready to be enjoyed immediately upon release, remaining stable for decades if stored properly.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted venison, dark chocolate tart, mature cheddar cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh is celebrated for its avant-garde approach to single malt production, particularly its pioneering exploration of fermentation. By utilizing active dried red wine yeast strains rather than standard distiller's yeast, Holyrood infuses the wash with an array of red fruit esters, spicy phenols, and a distinct vinous complexity before it even reaches the copper stills. Cask No. 2039 represents a singular expression of this experimental philosophy, showcasing how wine-industry techniques can radically redefine the traditional Lowland malt profile. The resulting spirit bridges the worlds of distilling and winemaking, offering a fascinating sensory journey.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2019 by Rob and Kelly Carpenter alongside former Macallan master distiller David Robertson, Holyrood Distillery marked the return of single malt whisky distillation to central Edinburgh after nearly a century of absence. Housed within a restored 1830s railway goods shed beneath Arthur's Seat in the Lowlands, Holyrood operates with an innovative, flavor-first distilling ethos deeply informed by Edinburgh's historic brewing heritage. Rather than conforming to traditional regional conventions, the distillery experiments extensively with diverse malt varieties—including heirloom, chocolate, and crystal barleys—along with an array of specialty brewing, wine, and sake yeast strains. Utilizing washbacks with extended fermentations and tall copper pot stills, Holyrood captures distinct ester and phenolic profiles before aging spirit in meticulously selected casks. Benchmark expressions include their inaugural single malts Arrival, Ambir, and Embra, alongside singular single-cask trials showcasing red wine, sake yeast, and peated variants.