Holyrood Distillery has underlined its strong growth in exports, revealing sales at the mid-year point already exceed those of 2023 by 15% in spite of "challenging market conditions".

The Edinburgh-based distillery noted it currently exports to 15 overseas markets, with a further 10 "confirmed for early 2025".

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Holyrood Distillery also announced an exclusive import and distribution partnership with Dutch company High Spirits, a supplier to the off-trade which works with a network of independent specialist retailers across the Netherlands.

Each shop will stock Holyrood Distillery’s full spirits portfolio, which includes Height of Arrows gin, Elizabeth Yard sherry cask rum, and single malt whiskies Ambir and Embra.

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Giancarlo Bianchi, sales director at Holyrood Distillery, said: “It’s an exciting time for Holyrood Distillery as we announce our partnership with High Spirits and begin distribution of our full spirits portfolio throughout the Netherlands. High Spirits is a young, independent supplier, with a small yet dynamic team who are experts in identifying the best-suited independent retailers for brands.

“Our priority is to identify the ideal export partners to tell our unique story, get liquid on lips and support our full portfolio of super-premium and innovative Scottish spirits, and we believe that High Spirits is the perfect partner to do just that.”

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He added: “Despite challenging market conditions, Holyrood Distillery continues to see strong international growth and thanks to the unique characteristics of the liquid, our urban location and innovative approach we’ve already exceeded last year’s export volume.”

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Holyrood Distillery, founded in 2019, describes itself as being “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, which the distillery noted is “one of the first single malt whiskies produced in Edinburgh in a century”.