Penderyn Welsh Whisky
Penderyn is a single malt whisky made by the Penderyn distillery in Wales, which first ran spirit in 2000 in a village in the Brecon Beacons foothills. Its signature Madeira bottling, aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Madeira wine casks, is 46% ABV; the lighter Legend and Myth are 40%. We use it in three recipes, always pouring the Madeira bottling.
Quick Facts
Sealed and upright, out of direct light: whisky keeps, though a low bottle oxidises faster.
None of the 14 listed allergens. Distilled from malted barley, but distillation removes gluten, so it is not labelled as a gluten allergen. Recipes change: check the bottle.
About Penderyn Welsh Whisky
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Honey and vanilla over soft citrus: a light single malt built to stay clean rather than heavy, with dried fruit on the Madeira-finished bottlings.
A distillery started in 2000
Penderyn grew from a plan made by a group of friends in a Hirwaun pub in the late 1990s. The first spirit ran on 14 September 2000 in the village of Penderyn, in the Brecon Beacons foothills, and bottles reached the shops on St David’s Day four years later. Dr Jim Swan, the company’s first master distiller, suggested finishing the whisky in Madeira casks, the style it is still known for. There are now two more Penderyn distilleries, at Llandudno and in Swansea.
One still instead of two
Most malt distilleries run their wash through two pot stills. Penderyn’s Faraday still, named after the engineer who designed it, does the work in one run, and the distillery puts its spirit strength at about 92%. The result is a light spirit straight off the still, and the cask then supplies most of the character, which is why the range is named by cask rather than by age.
Penderyn bottlings and how our recipes use them
Madeira
- ABV
- 46%
- Casks, as the distillery describes them
- Ex-bourbon barrels, finished in Madeira wine casks
- In our recipes
- Our pour in all three
Legend
- ABV
- 40%
- Casks, as the distillery describes them
- A lighter take on the Madeira finish
- In our recipes
- Named as the softer option
Myth
- ABV
- 40%
- Casks, as the distillery describes them
- Rejuvenated oak, as in the Rich Oak bottling
- In our recipes
- Not named
| Bottling | ABV | Casks, as the distillery describes them | In our recipes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madeira | 46% | Ex-bourbon barrels, finished in Madeira wine casks | Our pour in all three |
| Legend | 40% | A lighter take on the Madeira finish | Named as the softer option |
| Myth | 40% | Rejuvenated oak, as in the Rich Oak bottling | Not named |
Light enough to share a glass
A light, honeyed malt stays readable beside other flavours. The Welsh Gold stirs it with honey syrup and Angostura, the Snowdonia Sour shakes it with lemon and elderflower liqueur, and the Dragon’s Breath lengthens it with ginger beer. A heavy or peated malt would bury the elderflower; a soft Irish whiskey is the nearest stand-in.
Using Penderyn Welsh Whisky
Usage
50ml is the measure in all three of our Penderyn drinks: stirred with honey syrup and Angostura in a Welsh Gold, shaken with lemon and elderflower liqueur in a Snowdonia Sour, and lengthened with ginger beer in a Dragon’s Breath.
Pro Tip
In a Welsh Gold, taste before adding more syrup. The Madeira casks already bring dried-fruit sweetness, so 10ml of honey syrup is often enough where another whisky would need more.
Top Tips
- Our recipes are written for the Madeira bottling at 46%; Legend at 40% makes a softer drink at the same measure.
- Penderyn names most of its range by cask rather than by age, so read the cask on the label before swapping one for another.
- A light, honeyed malt suits citrus and elderflower; a peated bottling changes these drinks completely.
- Single Malt Welsh Whisky on the label is a protected name.
Possible Substitutions
- Whiskey (Irish): A light, unpeated Irish malt or blend comes closest
- Whisky (Scotch): A honeyed, unpeated blend; a softer drink
Production Method
Single malt from one copper pot still, Dr David Faraday’s design, which the distillery says draws spirit at about 92% ABV in a single distillation. The Madeira bottling is aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Madeira wine casks.
More to explore
Common Questions
Where is Penderyn whisky made?
When was Penderyn first released?
What is the Faraday still?
Which Penderyn should I use in cocktails?
How strong is Penderyn?
Is Welsh whisky a protected name?
Made with Penderyn Welsh Whisky
Featured In These Cocktails
Often Used With
Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 12 October 2026