Collection
Wales
Buying Welsh whisky at Mood4Whisky means getting to know Penderyn, the distillery that put Wales back on the whisky map after more than a century. Penderyn is situated at the foot of Bannau Brycheiniog, the Brecon Beacons, and has been distilling single malt using its own Faraday still since 2000. The first Penderyn whisky appeared in 2004, and the brand has since become a firm favorite for those looking beyond Scotland.
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In this collection you will find the Dragon Range with the light Legend and the peated Celt, the Gold Range with Madeira, Rich Oak, Sherrywood and Peated, the Penderyn 12 YO and an exclusive Ruby Port single cask. Penderyn covers three profiles of the M4W Taste Compass: Soft & Fruity, Full & Sweet and Smoky & Powerful. You can read more about the distillery on the page. Penderyn Distillery.
Does Wales have its own whisky history?
Yes, although it was interrupted for a long time. In 1887, the Welsh Whisky Distillery Company, better known as Frongoch, was founded at Bala, but it was not a success and disappeared in the early twentieth century; the temperance movement also plagued Welsh whisky. It was not until Penderyn, which started distilling in 2000 and released its first whisky in 2004, that Wales once again had its own single malt.
What rules apply to Welsh whisky?
Since July 2023, Single Malt Welsh Whisky has been a protected geographical indication in the United Kingdom. The name may only be used for whisky made from 100% Welsh malted barley and Welsh water, where all production steps, from brewing to bottling, take place in Wales. In addition, the general whisky rules apply: at least three years of maturation in wooden casks and a minimum alcohol content of 40%.
What makes Penderyn's Faraday still special?
The Faraday still is a copper kettle with a column on top, developed with David Faraday, a relative of the physicist Michael Faraday. In a single distillation run, it yields a very pure, light distillate of around 90% alcohol. This explains the fresh, fruity base style of Penderyn, which you can clearly taste in the Dragon Range Legend and which forms the basis for the influence of the cask in the other whiskies.
Which Welsh whisky suits which taste profile?
If you like light and fruity, choose the Penderyn Dragon Range Legend or the Gold Range Madeira from Soft. & Fruity. For adults & Sweet are the Rich Oak, the Sherrywood, the Penderyn 12 YO, and the exclusive Ruby Port single cask. If you are looking for smoke, the mildly peated Celt (41%) and the more intense Gold Range Peated (46%) fit the Smoky category. & Powerful.
Is there more whisky made in Wales besides Penderyn?
Yes. Since Penderyn paved the way, more Welsh whiskey makers have emerged, including Dà Mhìle near Llandysul, Aber Falls in Abergwyngregyn, In the Welsh Wind in Ceredigion and Coles in Carmarthenshire. Penderyn is the largest and best known with three locations in Penderyn, Llandudno and Swansea. At Mood4Whisky you will currently find Penderyn whiskies.