Holyrood distillery is known for its experimental mindset and flavour-first approach. They’ve just presented the Holyrood Noir trilogy: three whiskies made with wine yeasts from iconic regions, each matured in a corresponding cask.
Now that last idea makes it less interesting, in my opinion. We’ve tried dozens of (red) wine casks and I rarely find them successful. I would be far more interested in yeast differences, doing their thing in a refill bourbon cask, for instance, but I’m guessing the differences may have been too subtle in that case.
All three are now available from the Holyrood website.
Holyrood Noir – Bordeaux yeast (47,1%, OB 2025, bourbon casks + bordeaux barriques)
Nose: sweet and candied, on strawberry jam and pomegrenate juice. Then soft blackcurrants, before the acidity shines through, moving towards lemons and cranberries with a yoghurty edge. A light woody touch as well. Simple but not unpleasant.
Mouth: still a lot of these red berries (cherries stand out), as well as red apples. Then some cinnamon, a light herbal note and clove oil. The unavoidable vinous touch is easy to note, but we’ve had examples that were far less balanced. Hints of toffee and orange cake, along with honey coated breakfast cereals.
Finish: not very long, with toffee notes and some drying oaky warmth in the end.
Are we really getting some yeast influence here, or is it mostly the cask doing the talking? I would definitely say the cask, and this particular wine maturation feels like a dime a dozen. Also available from Royal Mile Whiskies for instance.
Holyrood Noir – Premier Cru yeast (47,2%, OB 2025, bourbon/Chardonnay + white wine casks)
Nose: starts on sawdust, you can tell that the wine is less influential. Hints of hay and lees as well, something of a brioche / buttery aroma. This allows the spirit to shine more. There’s nice golden apple, with mild vanilla. Some fresh dough and hints of buttercups too.
Mouth: more neutral again, with pears and peaches, toffee apples and a hint of floral honey. Maybe a hint of pineapple. There’s a generous sweetness to it, reminding us of fruit pastry, balanced by a pleasant tart note.
Finish: medium, with honey and citrus, along with vanilla.
This one has fruity sweetness but also a kind of bright sparkle. It had to grow on me, but after a while this my a firm favourite. I don’t think I’ve seen this kind of result before. Check Royal Mile Whiskies. Score: 86/100
Holyrood Noir – Burgundy yeast (47,4%, OB 2025, bourbon + burgundy barriques)
Nose: intruiging. It’s vinous but there’s also a lovely hint of oak polish and even a volatile whiff of oil paint. Then hints of cinnamon and pomegranate syrup, as well as a little Kriek beer and raspberry jam. Blackberry tartlets. Subtle umami notes and nuts in the background too.
Mouth: again not your usual wine cask. There’s bright raspberry and blackcurrant at first, with a round vanilla note. Great onset, but mid-palate it becomes a bit more tangy, with clove and a brandy-like edge. Underneath there are malty notes and hints of toast.
Finish: medium, with lingering dark fruits and brown sugar.
Yes, this is a red wine cask, and there’s still this vinous side to it. But it may well be the first whisky from a red wine cask that I would considering buying. Now I like Pinot Noir and this has some of these elements – it’s fairly unique. Interesting series, especially these last two. Available from Royal Mile Whiskies. Score: 85/100