Single Malt Welsh Whisky
Age: NAS
Abv: 46%
Non-chill filtered

I came across the Penderyn whiskies at the West Side, an agency shop. I’ve never seen these at the NSLC, but have repeatedly seen this Sherrywood, as well as some sampler bottles and a couple of other expressions now and then.

This is a Welsh single malt whisky – Penderyn heralding as the first whisky distillery in Wales for over 100 years. Nice looking bottles, decent price – worth a walk on the Welsh side, for sure.

Nose
Very approachable. A lovely, crisp fruit and light malt bubble up, promises of something more underneath. A bit of vanilla, a light skim (this comes back often through the dram). Pips of cherries brighten up here and there. Images of a spring day, fruits and berries in the air. Quite pleasant, largely a berry and fruity presence, nice undertones of barrel. Fresh linen hung out to dry on a sunny spring day. Cherries more and more as the dram progresses. There is definitely a feel of fields with cherries and berries about.

Palate
A bit of fire for my first sip of the evening. The fruit and berries hang in there though. Light, quick off the tongue, crisp. Later in the dram, the tingle of spirit still remains, but recedes to a backdrop for the melange of malt and fruit. I say fruit, but truly, berries seem to hold my mind – cherry, other red berries. Creamy at the finish of the dram, keeping the sweetness front and center.

Finish
Lingering fire, sweetness, gentle fade. There is a quick fading of the palate, but a very subtle sweetness persists.

Final Thoughts
The uniqueness of a Welsh whisky definitely drew me to this bottle initially. Then, the physical bottle itself was quite a draw – it is very tall, with fluted fins on either side, giving it a rocket-like appearance. Its height will be a problem for some shelves, I imagine – the tallest bottle I’ve had in my cabinet by far.

I enjoyed the Sherrywood as a now-and-then dram. It provides a crisp presence that feels very well crafted and intentional. These notes come from the tail end of the bottle, open for a couple months shy of two years, but it noses and tastes much like I recall through the entire shelf life. Light and fruity on the nose, fiery on the tongue and belly, gentle lingering sweet finish.

The bottle truly is a piece of art, with “Welsh Gold” along one fin, and “Aur Cymru” down the other. Overall quite a nice offering. I don’t think I rush out to replace it, but some day I think it would be nice to revisit this, and other Penderyn expressions.