Holyrood Distillery launches its third single malt whisky, Ambir

Holyrood Distillery is celebrating its fifth birthday with the launch of its third single malt whisky, Ambir. Following an exclusive, early-access release in Scotland on Wednesday 31st July (selected Scottish retailers and bars, including the distillery shop and online store), Ambir will be released to the rest of UK and beyond from 9th August.

Ambir is the next single malt in the series following Holyrood Distillery’s sold-out inaugural whisky, Arrival, last autumn, and its peated whisky, Embra, earlier this year. Each liquid has a unique flavour profile, designed to demonstrate the independent distillery’s creativity and barrier-breaking approach to whisky making. 

Distillery Manager, Calum Rae, said, “Specialty malt has landed. With Ambir, our third single malt release, we wanted to create something that showcased those velvety textures and sweet flavours that you get from using specialty malts like Crystal 240 and Caramalt. The journey for this was a real group effort with the whole Holyrood team involved from concept to creation.”

Ambir’s packaging continues to showcase the illustrative ‘lino-cut’ label design style, which takes inspiration from images of St Leonard. Not only is Holyrood Distillery located in St Leonard’s Lane, but St Leonard was the patron saint of barrel makers. The name, Ambir, comes from the rich, amber colour of the liquid, adding a Scots twist in true Holyrood Distillery fashion. The Scottish vernacular also blends old and new language seamlessly. The name was chosen to reflect this relationship between old and new, symbolising how Holyrood incorporates traditional practices with modern thinking.

Founded in 2019, Holyrood Distillery is dedicated to producing spirits that are truly worthy of Scotland’s capital city and its proud past as a centre of brewing and distilling. In October 2023, the urban distillery launched its inaugural single malt, Arrival, one of the first single malt whiskies produced in Edinburgh in a century.

Ambir is priced at £64 and will be available to buy exclusively in Scotland, as well as via Holyrood Distillery’s online shop.