Welsh Whisky Distilleries
1. Penderyn Distillery
Penderyn produces award-winning single malt whiskies and spirits in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. Founded in 2000, a second distillery in Llandudno opened in 2021, and a third one in Swansea is planned to open this summer.
Their unique still, the Faraday, is a single copper pot attached to a column installed with perforated plates. As the liquid begins to bubble, vapour rises into the copper column above the still. This vapour condenses on the first plate and returns to the still. The process continues and the vapour reaches the second plate… and so on, before it evaporates and again falls back into the pot. The distilling team closely guard the smooth, refined spirit until it is eventually drawn from the seventh plate and arrives in the spirit safe – drop by drop – at an industry high of 92% ABV.
2. In the Welsh Wind Distillery
In the Welsh Wind are striving to produce a single malt whisky that is 100% Welsh. That means using Welsh barley (grown within 10 miles of the distillery) for malting and carrying out all production (distillation, maturation, bottling and labelling) in Wales.
They say: “Where we’re going the extra mile is to ensure that all the processes that create an exceptional whisky – the drying of the grain, the malting, the mashing, the fermentation – and of course the distillation – take place in Wales. To secure this integrity, the Welsh heart of our whisky, we have established the first Welsh malting house for over 100 years.”
Bottles are expected to be available in 2025. For now, there is a Cask Programme available.
3. Dà Mhìle Distillery
Dà Mhìle is an organic distillery based on an organic family farm (Glynhynod, Welsh for Remarkable Valley) in Ceredigion.
Originally from Holland, the Savage-Onstwedders family’s first success on the farm was in cheesemaking (Caws Teifi Cheese). Having spotted a gap in the market to make organic whisky, Patrice commissioned Springbank distillery to make him a whisky in 1992 and Dà Mhìle was born. A further batch of organic whisky was commissioned at Loch Lomond distillery in the year 2000. And, in 2012, the Dà Mhìle distillery officially opened. While the focus is largely on gin and grain whisky, malt whisky is also produced.
4. Aber Falls Distillery
When it opened in 2017, Aber Falls became the first distillery in North Wales since the early 1900s. Located near Rhaeadr Fawr (the famous Aber Falls waterfall), their whisky is distilled, matured and bottled onsite. Working with local farmers, they use only authentic Welsh malted barley.
