This is the summary of my tasting notes for the Penderyn Madeira, Rich Oak, Sherrywood, Portwood and Peated bottlings.
Madeira Cask, 46% ABV.
Madeira
This whisky is the original Penderyn ‘house style’, aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in ex-Madeira wine casks to bring out its full gold character. It is bottled at 46% abv.
Penderyn Whisky
Appearance – This whisky is light gold in colour, it’s very viscous on the glass and drops syrupy thick legs.
Nose – Initially I’m getting icing sugar, menthol, cherries, sponge cake, cereals, a little mustiness. Then linseed oil, light tropical fruits, a light whiff of perfume too. I’m adding honey, flapjack, weetabix, soft stoned fruits too.
Palate – It’s starts off with sweet sugar coated candy lemon slices for me, and white pepper spice with it, icing sugar like the nose, perhaps a hint of apricots too, a nice medium spice going on, and some cigar leaves thrown in.
Finish – The finish is short to medium, I’m going with foam banana sweets here, medium spice like the palate, white pepper, a touch of cinnamon and dark chocolate.
My thoughts – I enjoyed this, and it shows off the distillery flavour profile rather nicely, its well balanced, and would be a great introduction into whisky for someone new to them.
Rich Oak Cask, 46% ABV.
This is the latest addition to our Gold Range. Limited Edition Rich Oak Single Cask and 50% bottlings have won major international awards, and so we are delighted to make Rich Oak a permanent fixture in our range. It is matured in a range of specially selected ex-bourbon and rejuvenated oak casks. This whisky has a Kosher certificate.
Penderyn Whisky
Appearance – This whisky is more burnished copper in colour, again nice thick swirl line and thick syrupy legs.
Nose – This is a deeper nose, we’re heading to dark chocolate, cocoa, oak, black coffee, slight liquorice, a touch of dustiness, some floral notes too, and a sweetish red wine note right at the back, it’s making me salivate tbh. Is there such a thing as sweet furniture polish? Some dunnage, and I’d say a touch of cherry Bakewell tart.
Palate – Yep all the dark fruits spiciness continues from the nose, cracked black peppercorns, black coffee, a touch of salt on the tip of the tongue, a good helping of oak, cigar leaves, a little black liquorice, Pontefract cakes, toffee and vanilla.
Finish – Medium in length, gentle spice here, light Jamaican ginger cake, dark chocolate, cigar leaves, foam bananas, icing sugar, it’s so gentle.
My thoughts – Yes i enjoyed this too, definitely darker heavier and spicy notes, and again well balanced, it’s very easy to drink.
Sherrywood Cask, 46%ABV.
The Penderyn Sherrywood in this bottle has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-Oloroso sherry casks to bring out its rich fruity flavour.
Penderyn Whisky
Appearance – This whiskey is light to medium gold in colour, loverly and viscous on the swirl line and reluctantly drops globules that turn into medium legs.
Nose – There’s a clear change here, this is lighter, and initially quite floral for me, even perfumed, grains now, a spiciness up the nostrils too, noses higher than 46% ABV tbh. There are dark fruits here, figs, cloves and currants. The fruits are quite light, there’s more carpenters/old style glazers workshop for me. I’m adding straw too, and sponge cake again, there is plenty here, it’s just teasing it apart.
Palate – The palate shows more Sherry spice than the nose, light ginger and cinnamon, a sweet lemon note, some figs, leaning into black cherries, black pepper, anise and tobacco leaves and dates, again it’s all well balanced, with a little more spice.
Finish – This one is long side of medium for me, gentle Sherry spices, mince pie filling, a touch of apricot, then the darker chocolate, some chilli’s, oat, perhaps dark chocolate Orange (which is a fav).
My thoughts – Again a very enjoyable drop of whisky, it’s not a sherry bomb, its another well balanced drop between the ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso casks, the distillery, and the distillery flavour profile is also nicely evident.
Portwood cask, 46% ABV.
This Portwood-finish whisky is a firm favourite among our customers in France and a real attention grabber. It is bottled at 46% abv.
Penderyn Whisky
Appearance – This whisky is medium to darker gold with a pinkish hue also in colour, it beads up on the swirl line and eventually drops slow medium legs.
Nose – Sweet sweet red berries, I’m really liking this nose to be honest, strawberries, raspberries, juicy red apples, some icing sugar, again noses higher than 46% ABV. There is a touch of menthol here, and a tea note.
Palate – Good mouthfeel here, loads of red berries and juicy red fruits, there’s a touch of drying but it’s quite light, cereals come through again, a little cranberries, and dark chocolate again as it becomes a little spicy.
Finish – Long side of medium, and my fav of the 4 tasted so far. Black pepper, chilli’s, rolling tobacco, a touch of drying, ginger and red berries all day long, lovely.
My thoughts – This and the peated cask were my favourites on this tasting, there’s just so much juicy red fruits, lovely stuff.
Peated cask, 46% ABV.
This whisky has a delicate spirit with a medium peaty character and a light golden tone. It is bottled at 46% abv. This whisky has a Kosher certificate.
Penderyn Whisky
Appearance – This whisky is white wine/straw in colour, it too beads up on the swirl line, and slowly drops thin to medium thickness legs.
Nose – here’s more peat than I expected to be honest, it’s not medicinal, but there are BBQ meat/sauce notes, the ABV bites more with this one too, I’m still getting red fruits in the background too. I’m thinking a bonfire made with conifer branches, reminds me of another whisky I’ve tried.
Palate – Not as Peated on the palate, but surprisingly spicy, I’m getting lemonade, sweet lemon, light peat and BBQ’d salted bacon, I’m still getting juicy red fruits, some tined fruit cocktail syrup, and lime juice, there is a feint touch of drying too.
Finish – The length is medium for me, there’s a lovely salty note that mixes with the peat and fruits, again as with all I’ve tasted this evening it’s all about balance, and I rather like it tbh, nothing screams, it’s nicely married.
My Thoughts – My second favourite from this line up, would also make a great introduction to whisky drinkers who are new to peated whisky.
My thoughts on the whole tasting – I really enjoyed the tasting, i liked all 5 whiskies to be honest, and they are all about balance and marriage, in that regard i think they succeed rather well.
Thanks to – @PenderynWhisky, @TheWhiskyWire and @TweetTastings (all Twitter).
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