First off, Edinburgh-based Holyrood Distillery has released its inaugural single malt. Dubbed “Arrival,” limited quantities were made available to UK-specialty retailers (my bottle just arrived today!), however, it appears to be mostly sold out already. You can read the details on the release here.

More from Edinburgh, the Port of Leith distillery–Scotland’s first “vertical” distillery (it’s wedged into a narrow tower) opened after several years of planning. 

Additional news from the Hebrides: the Isle of Harris distillery, the first legal distillery on the Outer Hebridean island of Harris (well, sort of; “Harris” is part of the same land mass as the Isle of Lewis, already host to Abhainn Dearg) launched its inaugural single malt, The Hearach (what someone from the island is called) in late September. Like Holyrood, all the Harris whisky that made it to retail seems to have been gobbled up by enthusiasts already, and has received some positive reviews already.

All the aforementioned are small, independent concerns, but the Scotch whisky industry’s second biggest player, Chivas Brothers (Pernod-Ricard) is getting in on some action as well. They plan to develop the first Islay distillery in their stable near Gartbreck farm, on Loch Indaal near the village of Bowmore. There had been planning to build an independent distillery nearby in years past, although those have apparently stalled. No word on whether Pernod’s new build is taking the place of that earlier project.