Holyrood Smoulder - Peated Single Malt

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47.1% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For Smoulder, Holyrood combines heavily peated Highland malt with other malt varieties and a diverse selection of yeasts. The malt blend consists of 75.73% heavily peated Highland malt, 17.42% Scotch Pot Still Malt, 5.71% Plumage Archer and 1.14% Brown Malt. Fermentation uses MG+, DY502, DY379, Toro Nero and Pepe Nero.

First Fill Bourbon Barrels account for the largest share of the cask selection at 78.58%, alongside 14.28% former rum barriques and 7.14% Oloroso Octaves. The whisky is bottled at 47.1%, without chill filtration or added colouring. The worldwide release comprises 3,500 bottles.

The label draws on the visual style of romance novels. Holyrood thus pairs its serious work with malt, yeast and casks with a deliberately humorous presentation.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, distinct peat smoke and sweetness meet smoked pears. Hints of buttery dough and gooseberries accompany sooty notes and bonfire smoke. A lightly floral touch and a little burnt bread crust round out the aromas.
• Palate: On the palate, powerful peat and pronounced sweetness balance each other. Black pepper and ginger give the earthy notes a spicy edge. Hints of grapefruit, mild herbal bitters and smouldering leaves emerge towards the mid-palate. A touch of red apple and mocha joins distinctive nutty notes.
• Finish: The smoke gradually builds further on the finish. Roasted nuts and drying oak accompany the lingering peat.

Distillery/Bottler:

Holyrood Distillery opened in 2019 in a former railway goods shed at the foot of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. Its first Single Malt, Arrival, was released in 2023. The distillery experiments with different barley varieties, speciality malts, yeasts and fermentation methods to shape the spirit’s character before cask maturation.

Facts: