🥃 Penderyn
Welsh distillery and single malt whisky brand from Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons); first spirit in 2000, relaunched in 2004; Faraday still.
Penderyn is a Welsh distillery and single malt whisky brand in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. According to the producer, the idea came to friends in a pub in Hirwaun in the late 1990s, who dreamed of the first whisky distillery in Wales in over a century. The first spirit ran from a copper pot still designed by Dr David Faraday on 14 September 2000, and the Welsh Government dates the relaunch of Single Malt Welsh Whisky to 1 March 2004.
How it is made. Visit Wales says Penderyn uses water from its own borehole and that the Faraday stills produce a high-strength, light spirit. The classic expression blends bourbon and madeira casks, and there is also a port-finish whisky. The distillery holds over 17,000 casks and, as the article notes, spirit takes at least three years to become whisky.
Sites. There are three distilleries: the original in the Brecon Beacons, one in Llandudno (2021) and the Swansea Copperworks (2023).
Why it matters to you. On 24 July 2023 "Single Malt Welsh Whisky" received UK geographical indication status; Penderyn was one of four applicant distilleries. It is a Welsh whisky, not a Scotch. Versions differ in cask finish, so read the label. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | first spirit 14.09.2000 (producer); Single Malt Welsh Whisky relaunched 1.03.2004 (Welsh Government); Penderyn, Wales |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | UK geographical indication "Single Malt Welsh Whisky" (24.07.2023) |
| Raw material | water from the distillery's own borehole (Visit Wales) |
| Distillation method | Faraday still: copper pot still designed by Dr David Faraday (producer) |
| Cask type | bourbon and madeira casks (classic expression); port, sherry and peated casks too (Visit Wales) |
| Minimum maturation | at least three years for the spirit to become whisky (Visit Wales) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Penderyn → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Madeira, 🍷 Oak barrel, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky
- Related to
- 📍 Wales
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Buffalo Trace
Frequently asked questions
Is Penderyn the first Welsh whisky distillery in over a century?
That is how the producer describes the dream of its founders: the first whisky distillery in Wales in over a century. Visit Wales uses the same description.
What is a Faraday still?
A copper pot still designed by Dr David Faraday; Visit Wales says the Faraday stills produce a high-strength, light spirit.
Which casks does Penderyn use?
According to Visit Wales, bourbon, madeira, port, sherry and peated casks; the classic expression blends bourbon and madeira casks.
How many distilleries does Penderyn have?
Three: the original in the Brecon Beacons, one in Llandudno (2021) and the Swansea Copperworks (2023).
Does Welsh whisky have a protected name?
Yes. On 24 July 2023 "Single Malt Welsh Whisky" received UK geographical indication status; Penderyn was one of four applicant distilleries.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Scotch Whisky — Geographical indication protected in the EU since 1989: whisky distilled and matured in Scotland in oak casks, at 40% ABV or more.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Blair Athol · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Teaninich · 🥃 Auchentoshan · 🥃 Deanston · 🥃 Glenglassaugh
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Penderyn (producer): brand story — Hirwaun pub, Faraday still, first spirit 14.09.2000; Llandudno 2021; Swansea Copperworks 2023
- Visit Wales (Welsh Government tourism body): Making Welsh whisky at Penderyn Distillery (Bannau Brycheiniog; own borehole water; over 17,000 casks; at least three years; three distilleries)
- Welsh Government: Single Malt Welsh Whisky protected (24.07.2023; UK GI; applicants Penderyn, In the Welsh Wind, Da Mhile, Coles; Penderyn relaunched 1.03.2004)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)