…but in the late 1990s, in a pub in a small post-industrial Welsh valley town, a group of friends drank and chatted about establishing the first whisky distillery in Wales in over a century. They dreamt of creating a whisky as pure and precious as Welsh gold, represented today by Penderyn’s ‘gold seam’.
The friends had a location in the historic village of Penderyn on the southern tip of the Brecon Beacons, chosen because of the site’s own supply of fresh natural spring water. They also had a unique copper single-pot still designed by Dr David Faraday, a relative of the great 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday. Penderyn Whisky was launched on St David’s Day 2004 in the presence of HRH Prince Charles.
The still produces spirit at an industry high of 92%, which means Penderyn whiskies are fresh, fruity and flavoursome. This spirit is recognised worldwide as one of the finest single malt whiskies. The majority of our spirit goes into ex-Bourbon casks with the remainder used to craft award-winning gins, vodka, cream liqueur and rum.
With investment, inspiration, hard work, attention to detail, the finest barley, expert distillers (our distilling team are all women), and the best American oak bourbon casks, Penderyn Whisky has quickly gained a worldwide reputation winning over 50 Gold Medals en route, and our whiskies are now available in over 40 countries.