The History Of Welsh Whisky While there were stills in Wales dating back to the Middle Ages, it was Evan Williams who put Welsh distilling on the map. In 1705, he left his family’s distillery in Dale, Pembrokeshire and set off to America, establishing himself as a founding father of the Kentucky Bourbon industry.
Later, in 1889 a small fortune was spent on a distillery in
now dozens of countries produce whisky. This means that,
Frongoch near Bala. Sadly, the temperance movement and the
like Evan Williams, Penderyn is also a pioneer in the world
fact that it wasn’t taken seriously outside, or even inside, Wales
whisky industry. Nowadays Penderyn Whisky is exported
meant the distillery closed down in 1903.
to 48 countries, and has won over 70 international Double Gold and Gold medals. Penderyn is expanding, and opened a
Twelve years later, in 1915, Prime Minister David Lloyd George,
second distillery in a Grade II listed school building in Lloyd
the only Welsh person to hold that role, introduced the ‘3 years
St, Llandudno in May 2021, and a future one in Swansea
and 1 day’ whisky rule. This was to shut down illegal stills
later in 2022.
during the war which were damaging the war effort. This accidentally created the premium whisky industry.
Now a few other Welsh distilleries have emerged, and Stephen Davies, Penderyn’s CEO, has been working hard to establish a
Fast forward to 1999, and a group of friends in the Glancynon
Welsh Whisky Geographical Indicator: “We’re seeing the creation
Inn, in Hirwaun in the South Wales valleys, were talking about
of a new premium spirits industry in Wales and we are thrilled
the fact that there wasn’t a Welsh whisky. They decided to
to have been the catalyst for that. This will enable the sector
establish a distillery. A unique still was found and the landlord
to ringfence the quality and reputation of Welsh whisky as a
of the pub, Alun ‘The Glan’ Evans had a wine warehouse in
prelude to taking on the mighty Scottish and Irish distilleries.”
the village of Penderyn, with a borehole which drew natural water from the Brecon Beacons and this was the beginning
From humble beginnings, Welsh Whisky is now very much
of Penderyn Distillery. The first bottle of Welsh whisky was
established on the international whisky map, with Penderyn
produced on St David’s Day, 2004.
being the home of Welsh whisky. n
Only a handful of countries were distilling in 2000, but
For further information please visit www.penderyn.wales
NWM 2022 Page 39
