Online platform to auction ‘historic’ city malts

HOLYROOD Distillery, Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery for nearly 100 years, is recreating historic single malt whiskies based on those once produced during the city’s distilling past to sell at a one-off auction by online auction platform, Whisky Hammer.

Next month’s auction will see just 30 casks up for grabs with the successful bidders also getting the opportunity to be involved in the development of the whisky, effectively enabling them to be their own master blender.

Holyrood Distillery resurrected the distilling of single malt in Edinburgh when it opened in 2019. By sourcing the ingredients and using the whiskymaking styles of Edinburgh distilleries popular in the 1800s and early 1900s, it will distil and fill 15 American oak Oloroso sherry hogsheads and 15 Spanish oak Pedro Ximénez sherry hogsheads.

Co-founder of Holyrood Distillery, David Robertson, said: “Purchasing one of these rare casks is an invitation to own a piece of history and tread in the footsteps of the people who created the city’s whisky industry.”

Daniel Milne, managing director of Whisky Hammer, said there was increasing interest in silent stills and demand for vintage whisky and cask purchases. “As a familyrun business we have seen rapid growth since our inaugural auction in 2016 and we’re one of the largest online dedicated whisky auction platforms globally,” he said.

The auction will run from December 4-13. It will be the first dedicated auction of its kind for the online Aberdeenshirebased company, which normally runs monthly online auctions offering a diverse range of rare and collectable whiskies.

Bidding is expected to start at £3,000.