Penderyn Madeira Finish - Welsh Whisky Review 142

Happy St David's Day Whisky Fans. Penderyn whisky has been around for a long time now. Longer than modern English Whisky in fact... but it is any good? Let's find out!
#whiskyreview #WhiskyTube #Scotch #Penderyn #WelshWhisky #MadeiraCask #Whisky #WhiskyLock

[@fordism.01]

Ive just got a bottle of it and its absolutely gorgeous. Hardly burns dangerously tasty and has a lovely kick . All in all im impressed.

[@WhiskyLock]

Glad you're enjoying it! It's a good dram for a good price 👍

[@oscars4107]

Just got another bottle of this at a great price. Tbh I had forgotten how much I liked this whisky. It definately has a place in between the cheapo efforts and the more mature whisky. Really like that they tell us it is Natural colour & non chill filtered. Also agree with your packaging assessment .

[@WhiskyLock]

Totally agree. It's a really good entry(ish) level expression. I wish distilleries like Laphroaig, Bowmore, Tamnavulin, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich would take a leaf out of Penderyns book and offer something on par. Even better than this stuff is frequently on discount 👍

[@AK-ms5zk]

You earned one more subscriber today my friend, Aloha from the big island of Hawaii, I’m a native Hawaiian that’s also part Welsh. 🤙🏽

[@WhiskyLock]

It blows my mind that you're watching my reviews from way over there! Thank you my friend. Glad to have you 🤙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Gwhisky]

Great review, Shane. I have pretty similar feelings about the sherried one I've got on the go. Not bad stuff! 🥃

[@WhiskyLock]

Yes 46% and affordable means you don't feel too ripped off 🙂 I believe I had the sherried one and a peated one a few years ago and liked them too. Cheers Geoff 🥃

[@austintierney4828]

The Portwood expression did NOT last long for me

[@ADSCP]

At least Madeira casks are traditional not like the fake seasoned sherry casks thing.

[@Bowman1999]

Thanks for reviewing Penderyn. I have never had any but it always seems to be on the shelf were I shop and was wondering about it. Also like your thoughts on how these newer distilleries decide when to release their bottlings for the first time. Cash flow is important to any business especially newer ones and I'm sure it figures into a distilleries decision on when to release. I've heard people state that Kilchoman should have waited another year or so to release, I think they got it right. When it comes to Isle of Raasay I think maybe they should wait longer as it definitely seems young to me but on the right track. Keep these reviews coming.

[@WhiskyLock]

Thanks Rob. Cash flow is indeed serious business and shouldn't be underestimated. Plenty of successful businesses fail due to cash flow. I agree with you about Kilchoman and Raasay. I actually miss the older and slightly younger Kilchomans sometimes. The current stuff is superb but the early batches had a wonderful raw peaty intensity that is lost with age. Raasay on the other hand is that bit immature at the moment but I think their vatting and Cask management skills are very promising and it's still good stuff. Cheers 🥃

[@wouterblom7569]

Hi Shane, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this in-depth and thoughtful review. Kudos, well done!

[@WhiskyLock]

Thanks Wouter 🥃

[@GeordiLaForgery]

Great review look forward to trying this someday.

[@WhiskyLock]

Thanks Geordi. It's well worth a try on special offer 👍

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Appreciate the review. I have an unopened bottle of this somewhere. It might be time to give it a go. Thanks.

[@WhiskyLock]

Great to hear that somebody else has one. I look forward to hearing your thoughts when you open it. Cheers mate 🥃

[@wynandmullins7220]

Love the videos!

[@MartianTom]

Bought a bottle today for £24. Love it. Smooth and citrusy. The Madeira cask certainly comes through. As has been said, frighteningly moreish. As for your pronunciation... all I can say is Chlan vire pof gwyn gych go gaerth kwin joboch-lan ti silio gogo goch. Now you can impress everyone with being able to say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch! 😉 I'm thinking my next dram will be Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair. Have you sampled that yet?

[@WhiskyLock]

Yes what he said 😅😂 This Penderyn is great for £24. It's one of those supermarket whiskies that is worth keeping an eye out for special offers. What else can you get at 46% for under £25? Not a lot! Stiuireadair is a fine dram. My only criticism would be that it's not quite as good as the fantastic Bunna 12 but really that shouldn't be held against it. Especially as Stiuireadair can be had for much less. It's well worth a punt! 👍

[@alistairmcpherson2228]

I have an unopened bottle of this on my top shelf. In between bottles of Clynleish and MacAllan Gold. There’s a few bottles on this shelf. I’m thinking that this Penderyn will be the 1st dram on a flight of 6 for the next tasting evening. I have a Deanstone 12 Madeira too.

[@WhiskyLock]

I haven't had Deanston Madeira but it would be very interesting to put it up against the Welsh malt 👍

[@alistairmcpherson2228]

I will put the two together actually and add a fruity and a couple of sherried. #plentyofglencairns available.

[@kmackenzie162]

I have the full range of this presentation. Maderia, Port, Sherry, Extra Oak & Peated. All nice and good drinkers. The Maderia i find the weakest, but only by one or two points. I also have some of their single cask/limited releases at higher ABV. Good to try and the depth of flavour is improving.

[@WhiskyLock]

I've had them all but only the Madeira recently. From my notes I had the Sherry Wood ever so slightly behind but agreed that it's close and they're all good 👍

[@alanhassall8702]

Hi, yes to all you say really. I've not tried this expression but I will at some point being a sherry finish lover. Can you imagine the bottle not falling over without the fins? and it's distinction for me is that Its so tall. I have three shelves in my whiny cupboard and this will only fit on the top shelf thus assuming a position it shouldn't really have. Young, peppery, clean and Welsh is how I normally describe it, as a starting point, when sipping with pals. cheers.

[@WhiskyLock]

It's definitely worth a try. If you find it on discount for £27 like I did then it's a no brainer. True, those fins are about all that's keeping it upright but then if it didn't have those fins then it could've been a round bottle 🤪 don't take my 'criticism' of the bottle too seriously though. It's all just personal opinion and I just happen to prefer dumpies, square bottles and more traditional styles. And the liquid is decent... which is the important thing 🙂 Cheers 🥃

[@wouterblom7569]

@@WhiskyLock my guess is that one of the functions of the fins might be to position the bottle in the labelling machine, to ensure the correct positioning of the label vis-a-vis the debossed curl on the front

[@WhiskyLock]

@@wouterblom7569 It will certainly help. A lot of bottles have discreet indexing features for the labelling line. I had a look at my Penderyn and it has a notch cut out the base in one place to eliminate the remaining 180 degree position that the fins could allow. For a while I had a bottle of Laddie 10 on my shelf that had the front and back labels on top of each other 🤪 kind of wish I'd kept it now as I'm sure it's pretty rare. It might have been my retirement fund... oh well! 🙂

[@stevebloomer2920]

I haven't thought about Penderyn in years. Early on it was probably thought of more highly than Arran, probably in part because the distillery wasn't in Scotland, but that critical praise seems long ago. I was still a member of the SMWS when they started bottling Penderyn single casks under their banner, but there aren't many IBs out there either. I went to whiskybase and it looks they've released a few single casks recently, but have never released a young age statement whisky that would prep the market for single cask releases. Maybe it doesn't age well, which would suggest mediocre casks. Certainly they have chosen a path that no others have followed, but I assume it's profitable.

[@WhiskyLock]

Agreed it does seem like they've partially squandered a good start. And a head start too. Not that Penderyn is bad whisky but they were very much pioneers. When I think of an older Penderyn I do wonder if it would age a bit like Glenmorangie. That is, already fairly light and refined at a young age with nowhere to go in terms of maturation. Perhaps that style of light and young whisky was always the plan. It probably is quick and profitable as you say.

[@stevebloomer2920]

@@WhiskyLock Guess I have to go out a find a local bar and try it again. I'm curious.

[@jimb9951]

You raised interesting points about new ish distilleries.....seems that Penderyn have decided where they sit in the marketplace and don't want to take on the likes of Arran with a core range of age statement whisky.

[@WhiskyLock]

It does seem that way. It would be interesting what we would get if they decided to release say a 12 and 16yo whisky. Their light style may or may not make it that worthwhile but I'd love to find out!

[@welshtoro3256]

It's St David's Day and a drop of Penderyn is called for. Penderyn, what are we to make of you? I'm actually rather chuffed by how the company has developed and grown. They've adopted a cautious but solid approach which has seen them enlarge slowly but surely and I believe the company to be in safe hands. It sells all over the world but Wales is, of course, the very comfortable fireplace of home. Any bar or restaurant bold enough to sell any whisky other than Jameson's or Glenfiddich 12 (which is reaching for the stars in most of Wales) might have an offering of Penderyn. I'll always choose the Penderyn on these occasions. Welsh visitor attractions such as Cadw will stock bottles in their range - Welsh pride and all that. The distillery is just down the road from my mum's place and even she (a non whisky drinker) enjoyed the distillery tour. Now, the whisky. Like you, I think the boxes of the standard range are rubbish but not all of the expressions are presented like that. Penderyn's wonderful Icon's of Wales releases have proper boxes with well thought out artwork. As a Welshman I find that range very interesting and it's an easy victory for Penderyn in Wales. We love our icons. I don't mind the bottles and the art deco touch. So, like any family member, I've been a tad hard on Penderyn's standard range over the years. I think they were so keen to bring their whisky to market that youthful expressions had to accepted as the distillery profile and hence no age statement - 'it's ready when it's ready', blah blah. How to make youthful whisky a bit more interesting? Finish it in something interesting like Madeira or Port casks. Fine, but it's still hard to disguise that immature note. I think the profile does taste a little more mature recently. The other thing is is the inconsistency with the ABV. Two of the more affordable expressions for the locals (Myth and Legend) are bottled at a miserable 41%. All the Icons of Wales releases should be 46% by now. We've had some good ones recently but then we're back down to 43% for the latest Yma o Hyd, our national anthem for goodness sake. I think the distillery should iron these things out. The better quality standard range, like the Madeira and Port tick the right boxes for purists. My gripe is the age which is always a bit too young, or at least it tastes so. We have to accept that this is a character of Penderyn but I really would like the average age to increase just a little bit. Penderyn do bottle single cask stuff as well but it can be pricey. Sometimes they do local single cask partnerships too with local businesses and interests which look mighty tempting. As you know, I've branched out recently and bought some very interesting single barrel expressions bottled by Berry Bros and another by a French independent bottler because I wanted to try Penderyn bottled at high proof outside of the distillery orbit. Penderyn are a good distillery but I would just like them to break out and show a bit more ambition. I'm glad you mentioned Arran as a comparison because I think that highlights that difference. Penderyn can do better. Arran make excellent whisky and Penderyn's whisky is not at that place and it is the same price. Penderyn want us to like young whisky and I do, but that should not be at the expense of low abv or £50 prices. They have been around for long enough, like Arran, to be a bit more ambitious. Just as a footnote. I think we should junk the idea of Welsh, English, Scottish and Irish whisky. They're individual distilleries that could be anywhere. There's no national characteristic to whisky. What's Welsh about Penderyn apart from the marketing? Enjoyed the video and not the least enraged about the Welsh language. Cheers. WT

[@gareth630]

I love those Grand slam editions 🙂 Found a great cask strength of this in the Whisky shop York 3 yr ago 63% very nice.

[@welshtoro3256]

@@gareth630 Yeah, Wally's in Cardiff have a single barrel exclusive PX and it looks fantastic. Pricey at £100(ish - I forget the exact price) but pure chocolate. I would have taken the plunge but the missus was with me and on full alert.

[@WhiskyLock]

It is a shame for any 'new' distillery to aim low (ABV, age, etc) but I guess the other way to look at it is that Penderyn have been around for a long time now, they're established, well known and seem to be in a good position to go in whatever direction they choose. It shouldn't be hard for them to capitalise on all of the things you mention now. Fingers crossed. Although I'm not a huge fan of cask finishes as you know, I do like the Madeira influence in Penderyn and I tend to always like Madeira matured whisky. Even going way back to when Glenmo had a Madeira Wood Finish in the core range, that was probably my favourite Glemno too. It works very well for me. Glad I haven't managed to offend you and your countrymen yet 😉 Cheers 🥃

[@gareth630]

@@WhiskyLock Shane you can't upset us Welsh unless you steal our ewe ;-) I am waiting for the day when that age statement comes out because love it or hate it they already tick 3 of the boxes. Ps my pet Dragon is moody be careful 🙂

[@WhiskyLock]

@@gareth630 ooh err! 😅 I hope they do release those age statement whiskies we're waiting for. I'll buy an 18yo Penderyn if it's priced appropriately. I know WT would too but at this point he's forgotten how to say no when there's Welsh heroines on the label 😉 I actually tried a 15yo cask strength whisky from my local distillery (English Whisky Company) a couple of weeks ago. And it's bloody fantastic. I didn't buy a bottle though and won't be reviewing it because it's currently priced as a collectable at £300 🤑 Which is fine... because it's the oldest stuff they've ever released but hopefully there'll be an equally great version in a few years that's priced for drinking 🤞

[@suenewark9397]

My husband is the whisky lover of the family, but this is my favourite whisky, fruity with a light taste, doesn't taste like a bonfire and mixes well with coke, lemonade and ginger wine. My husband says that it is a sin to mix a single malt with anything else, but why should I drink rubbish whisky - the taste is lovely, not good with alcohol, I only drink once a week, so when I do, I like a nice tasting whisky. I buy it whenever it is on offer, a bottle lasts me half a year! It reminds me of St Andrews in terms of the fruitiness, not sure which one!

[@WhiskyLock]

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I mostly sip neat but do enjoy a mixed drink now and again. A sin to mix single malt? Perhaps a little 😉 but you could also argue why buy blends like JW Black Label for mixing when you can get a single malt like this on offer for the same money or less? FYI Penderyn have cocktail recipes on their website. So I doubt they'd take offence to what you're doing 🙂 Cheers 🍹

[@itsallrobbish]

I love this Whisky, very light and fruity. Living in Scotland, I guess it’s sacrilege to a certain extent that I’d take this over most Scotches. Never seen this guy review before, interesting and knowledgeable, but disappointed with the 6 minutes of moaning about the packaging and bottle shape at the start. I get the packaging jibes , but I love the bottle. I like it so much more than most of the Scotch whiskies I’ve been through. Good review in the main.

[@Tony-uc8mg]

I honestly thought this was lovely.

[@WhiskyLock]

It's a nice dram for sure. For all of it's very minor shortcomings, this is probably the 4th bottle I've had over the last ten years 🙂 That says something.

[@ADSCP]

And Madeira casks, like Port, are traditional casks that really used to bottle wine. Not like the fake sherry seasoned casks things.

[@WhiskyLock]

Really good point. Perhaps that partly explains why I tend to get on really well with Madeira casks. Cheers 🥃

[@ADSCP]

@@WhiskyLock it’s indeed an issue not widely spoken, the sherry casks that started to be used to mature whisky. It all started in 1986 when Spain no longer allowed sherry to leave Spain without being already bottled. So seasoned casks were invented to tackle that situation. Also in the last 30 to 40 years, sherry wine consumption declined a lot. Today only a few drink it and despite that there are so many sherried whiskies. That’s the reason. Gladly Paxarete was banned. Check out Master of Malt article titled “Shady sherry” and also on KZbin a video from Mark Littler about the subject. Since I learned about I became a sherried whisky skeptic, so now I tend to diverse with other types of cask.

[@WhiskyLock]

@@ADSCP Yes, at this point it's only very, very old and expensive whisky that stands a chance of having been in genuine sherry casks. Ironically, the cask that sherry is 'matured' in today tends to be the actual product more often than not. And the sherry itself is almost a waste product of the process! Although to be fair, even pre-1981 a lot of the casks that sherry turned up in Scotland in were only transport casks used for the journey so you could argue that it's been generations since actual sherry maturation casks have been used to mature Scotch! I've noticed a big shift in the style of sherry in whisky in just the 20 years that I've been appreciating Scotch though. You just don't get that old style sherry anymore.

[@ADSCP]

@@WhiskyLock Seems An Noção 24 is one of the few that may have used traditional casks.

[@domanz1]

yeah it's absolutely an art deco piece haha

[@PaleMischief]

🥃😁👍🏻

[@Piface2099]

Seems like these days there's simply not enough reason to shift to AS expressions later in your distillery's life if it's already selling well/getting awards etc. as NAS

[@WhiskyLock]

Good point. If you've positioned yourself as a 'supermarket whisky' making money on high volume and low margins then even less reason perhaps...

[@carlossanders8427]

Hi Whisky Lock. Word of Advise. 5 De Mayo means just a random battle in Mexico. It does not represent a big national holiday at all. It is just a standard Bank holiday. Nothing special there. If you want to celebrate a true Mexican holiday aim for the 16th of september.

[@WhiskyLock]

Hi Carlos. Yes quite right. From what I've heard Cinco De Mayo is a US thing. Here in England we don't really hear much about either but maybe I'll schedule a Mezcal review for September this year instead. Cheers 🥃

[@carlossanders8427]

@@WhiskyLock Being Mexican I do love a nice Mezcal. Happy to point you to something that is actually good. Or if you are into experimental stuff, happy to send you a sample.

[@WhiskyLock]

@@carlossanders8427 Mezcal can be great. I've always thought that it's the best malternative for those who like smoky spirits. Quality recommendations are always welcome 🙂 Cheers

[@carlossanders8427]

@@WhiskyLock I am in the UK (Glasgow Scotland) so I reckon your selection may be similar (Hopefully). I really enjoy The Lost Explorer (everything they produce), while some may be "turned off" by the distillery being owned by a pair of Swedes, they are doing things right. Their label tells you everything you need to know, the species of Agave, the years the Agave plant had before it was cut down. Plus they poached some really good talent from well known distilleries. Hard to argue when you can taste a clean product like that. They only produce "Joven" (Young) by their own policy, this means NO barrell ageing at al. I also enjoy Los Danzantes. It is a more comercial brand. These guys own a craft gastro pub in Mexico city and Oaxaca city. Once again you can taste the care behind the product. They have Joven, Añejo and Reposado (Difficult to translate, let's go with "Mellowed in a Barrel"). Personally I like their Añejo (Old). Of note Mezcales and Tequilas have these three categories. A Joven will never touch a barrel, but as just after distillation the liquid is VERY fotosensitive, they are "aged" in cristal jars covered from sunlight. A Reposado will be layed on a barrell for 3-12 months. An Añejo would be layed in a barrell for over a year. As a secondary note, all Tequilas are technically Mezcales. However Tequila can only be produced in Tequila, they steam the agave heart prior to fermentation and only use Blue Weber Agave (also as a rule of thumb distilled 3 times). Mezcal roasts the agave hearts (hence the smoky flavour) and does not need to apply any further rules, as long as it has over 51% Agave Spirit in the bottle. (Last bit is where the crap tequila catches you out! Think of the ones that do not state "100% agave" as the JW Reds, the bad grain spirit blended scotches). Also, if you are into experimental, happy to give you a sample if ever in Glasgow.