Penderyn is a great example of what a small distillery can do. They only began operation in 2000, and only put out their first whisky in 2004, but I have been really impressed with the quality of the whisky, considering how young it is. They have also been doing a pretty good job of getting it out in circulation and making it available for those who want a bottle, considering they only make about two barrels of whisky each day.
There’s no age statement but, according to Ed Minning of Penderyn, the whisky right now is hovering between 4 3/4 and 5 1/2 year old. The whisky tastes much more mature than that. Whisky consultant guru Dr. Jim Swan is working closely with the Penderyn folks, and his impact shows.
Here’s some interesting information the Ed Minning told me regarding Penderyn:
Jim intends to eventually reach about 6 1/2 to 7 years (for the average age of Penderyn), above which he says there will be no benefit in additional aging because of the unique still.
There are actually 2 new expressions that we are just about to introduce in the U.S., Peated and Sherrywood. Regarding the limited edition Peated expression, it is far different from the 1,000 bottle limited release ($225) of several years ago.
So, some new expressions coming out from Penderyn. Details to follow. And if you thought that Penderyn has been getting better (like me), the gradual transition towards a slightly more mature whisky might be one of the key reasons why.
John- I have a particular interest in Penderyn. My brother-in-law was born in Wales and last year I made a trip to Wales to visit some of his relatives and, of course, the Penderyn distillery. We drove up to where it was located and searched and searched and finally found it, after having driven past it twice. I went up to the distillery and found a phone where you could call the office. I was told that they did not have any tours so I was out a visit. They said that a year from then they would have a tour available. It looked like a warehouse but had some interesting paintings on the side. I have tried their standard malt and it is very smooth but tastes a lot like an Irish whisky. At $70+ a bottle it is certainly overpriced for a five year old. Perhaps their new product is much better. Hopefully, when I go back they will have the visitor’s center open and I can tour the distillery. I will be sure to find out at Whiskyfest San Francisco next week. I still have one bottle unopened. I love the bottle design.
P.S. The Penderyn that I drank was the 750 ml US version that Jim Murray gives a 93, which I purchased at Binny’s in Chicago. He says that it was bottled in Sept 05 although it is not stated on the bottle. The one I have in reserve is Dec 05 which Jim Murray gives an 88. It came from a store in Wales. Ratings from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2008.
It is a very nice whisky for its age. But it is also a bity pricy too for its age. (Although, many of the microdistilleries less than 10 years old with whiskies on the market are charging a fairly steep price. I guess they’re all trying to get a return on their investment.)
[...] from the mash used to the unique combination pot/column still used for distillation. In this Malt Advocate blog post from October, 2008, Ed Minning of Penderyn stated that the average age (at that time) of Penderyn [...]