Single Malt Sake Yeast 'Full Cask' No
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this does not mature further in the bottle and can be enjoyed immediately upon release or cellared indefinitely.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Sashimi, blue cheese, roasted pork belly
✨ Technical Specifications
Representing a bold frontier in modern Scottish distilling, Holyrood's experimental releases redefine the boundaries of Lowland single malt. Located in Edinburgh, a city with a rich history of both brewing and distilling, Holyrood looks to the past and the global future for inspiration. This highly innovative spirit utilizes Japanese sake yeast during the fermentation of malted barley, a technique that introduces an entirely different spectrum of esters compared to traditional distiller's yeast. The result is a fascinating cross-cultural hybrid: a single malt base married to the delicate, fruity, and slightly savory umami characteristics typical of premium sake. Matured in selected casks, this bottling showcases Edinburgh's contemporary spirit of liquid alchemy, bridging centuries-old Scottish heritage with Japanese brewing artistry.
🍾 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.