Penderyn Distillery - the home of Welsh Whisky

The Wood

Madeira Barrels 1

The individual characteristics of a malt whisky are derived from a number of different factors. These include the variety and quality of malted barley used, the water source, and the design and operation of the still. However, much of the flavour – and the final colour – depends on the type of wooden barrels used for maturation.

Our consultant, Dr Jim Swan, is not only one the world’s finest Master Distillers, but is the world authority on wood management.

About Dr Jim Swan

Similar to many distilleries, our initial ageing is in ex-bourbon oak casks. However, in our case no expense is spared in sourcing the finest casks available only from the best Tennessee and Kentucky distilleries. A large portion of our casks come from Buffalo Trace which is widely recognised as not only one of the finest bourbons in the world but is well-known for using the best casks in the industry. Buffalo Trace has itself won numerous awards. We also use Evan Williams’ casks which too are of outstanding quality; they bring great provenance as Evan Williams, from Wales, was one of the founders of the American Bourbon industry.

Our Master Distiller will regularly nose and score each individual cask over many years. At just the right time the whisky is disgorged and re-casked into ex-Madeira barrels.  We have a special relationship with one of the finest cooperages who themselves only supply the very best Madeira houses.  Madeira is a sweet, complex wine of great rarity, produced only on the island of Madeira.  It is a wine capable of aging for over 100 years. 

Ever so slowly the spirit will leach the Madeira from the oak increasingly gaining in subtlety and complexity.  It is only when this process has reached its optimum will our Master Distiller allow us to bottle the spirit. 

Occasionally we will use a different wood for different expressions of Penderyn, but even our delicate peated edition will retain the character of the spirit.

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