New cask programme from Holyrood Distillery

This year, the Edinburgh-based Holyrood Distillery has launched a unique cask programme which includes two distinct ‘peated’ expressions, chosen to emulate the smoky past of Edinburgh’s cityscape. Both casks showcase the interplay between tradition and innovation, utilising different techniques of production to create two unique distillates; Heavily Peated and Rauch Malt.

Smoke once encapsulated Edinburgh, large clouds hung above the city and inhabitants woke to the smell, taste and the sight of smoke. As a result the city became known as ‘Auld Reekie’ (Old Smoky).

Through this year’s cask programme, Holyrood Distillery is keen to bring certain elements of Auld Reekie back to the whisky world with its use of smoked brewers malts and the traditional whisky style of Islay. The first of the two casks - Heavily Peated - uses Islay peated malt in a sherry wood. 

Holyrood distillers found using the Norwegian ale yeast, Kviek, alongside their malts gave a balance of smoke, orange, and a fuller texture to the expression. For maturation they are using 250 litre Spanish sherry hogsheads, with a choice of either first fill cream sherry or first fill Pedro Ximénez sherry.

The second cask in the 2022 programme, the Rauch Malt is a true brewer’s whisky, created with smoked brewer’s malt and aged in a lightly toasted port wood. Softening these smoky flavours, the addition of Caramalt has imparted a subtle sweetness to the distillate, finished with small amount of heavy peat (50ppm) to create the characteristic coal smoke flavours. For maturation, Holyrood is using 225 litre lightly toasted first fill port barriques.

Anyone who purchases a cask will receive a sample spirit on its first, third and tenth birthday.