Holyrood Distillery: Guided Whisky & Gin Tasting Tour + Welcome Drink

Your visit starts with a seasonal welcome drink at the distillery. You’ll then join a guide for a history-focused introduction to Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery in over a century. The tour also includes an explanation of how Height of Arrows Gin is made using three key ingredients, followed by a guided gin tasting so you can learn how its flavor develops. Finally, you’ll explore how the distillery uses heritage and specialty malts (including alternative yeasts) to create their single malts, and you’ll participate in a guided single malt whisky tasting, learning how different oak barrels influence whisky character.

The experience lasts about 1 hour. It’s designed to cover the welcome drink, guided history and process walkthroughs for both gin and whisky, and the tastings within the set timeframe.

During the gin portion of the tour, your guide explains the production process for Height of Arrows Gin and highlights the role of its three key ingredients. You’ll also taste the gin with guidance on how flavor develops—so you know what to look for in the aroma and taste as the drink opens up.

You’ll take part in a guided tasting of the distillery’s single malt whisky. The guide shares how different oak barrels contribute to flavor development—such as variations in sweetness, spice, wood influence, and overall character. You’ll also learn about the distillery’s approach to making single malts, including the use of heritage and specialty malts and alternative yeasts.

The tour takes place at Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. When you arrive, you’ll be welcomed with a seasonal cocktail (the welcome drink). After that, your guide will take you through the distillery’s story and production methods, then lead the gin and whisky tastings as part of the 1-hour itinerary.