Penderyn unveils Wales’ first Peated Single Malt in Over a Century

Well, this is something worth getting excited about. Penderyn’s just dropped Serpent’s Tears, and it’s a proper game-changer for Welsh whisky. We’re talking about the first peated single malt to come out of Wales in over a century – not since Fron Goch shuttered its doors more than 100 years ago.

What makes this particularly interesting is that it’s the debut release from Penderyn’s Llandudno distillery, which fired up in May 2021. They’ve given this one its own identity too – breaking away from their usual Gold, Dragon, and Icons of Wales ranges. Stephen Davies, their CEO, wanted the Llandudno output to have its own distinct personality, and you can see why.

The story behind the name is lovely – it’s tied to the Great Orme headland where Norse sailors apparently mistook the silhouette for a sea serpent. There’s something quite romantic about that connection to place and legend.

Now, the technical bits that’ll interest you: they’re using their unique Faraday still at Llandudno, pushing out spirit at a hefty 92% ABV. The result is this 46% ABV single malt that Master Blender Aista Phillips has crafted into something that sounds pretty special on paper.

The nose gives you that autumnal character – dry leaves, orchard fruits, wood smoke. On the palate, you’re getting sweet peat balanced with vanilla cream, sugared pancake with burnt edges, baking apples, and some peppery spice notes with clove. The finish apparently delivers that warming, lingering soft peat with barley sweetness.

Limited stuff this – only 3,000 bottles in this First Reserve, with 700 going online exclusively. They’re pricing it at £80 for a 70cl, with another 3,000 set aside for export.

It launches on 19th July at all three Penderyn sites, then rolls out to specialists before hitting supermarkets in October – which is quite a milestone for Penderyn, their first supermarket listing.

The bigger picture here is that Penderyn’s really hitting their stride now. Three distilleries churning out 2.3 million bottles annually, exporting to over 50 countries, and they’ve racked up more than 140 international awards. Not bad for a Welsh whisky renaissance that’s still finding its feet.