Penderyn Aur Cymru Single Malt Welsh Whisky (March 09)
46% ABV/92 Proof
Around $65
Available in select markets
What the Distillery Says:
At premium strength (46%) Penderyn has an exceptionally balanced taste with an aroma of cream toffee and fleetingly of fresh new leather. Then, as the initial sensations fade, the finishing notes of tropical fruits, raisins and vanilla emerge strongly and are long lasting.
Like Welsh Gold (Aur Cymru) this malt whisky is rare and precious. Handcrafted and Madeira Finished.
What Richard Says:
Nose: Ripe fruits, floral sweetness, aged and polished wooden furniture, and well worn leather. Very brandy-like. Cognac in the 10 to 20 Year Old range more than anything else.
Palate: Macerated orchard fruit but not citrus. It’s more like peaches and apricot but not sweet at all. Vegetal under currents. A good bit of heat and spice that seems to be coming from the youth of the whisky and alcohol more than the inherent flavor profile.
Finish: It leaves the lips numb. More woody on the finish. Those vegetal notes show up more pronounced on the finish than the palate.
Comments: This is definitely an interesting whisky. The nose alone makes it stand out. I love the nose. The palate is pleasant and should develop with some more years on it.
Rating: Stands Out
What Matt Says:
Nose: At the back there is a distinct “whisky-ness” about it (an echo of smoke, caramel and crème brulee that reminds me of Springbank). The predominant scents are more akin to sour fruit candies. When I was in the UK, I got addicted to these Starburst Jellybeans. They were a lot better than the ones we get over here (actual fruit juice and different flavors). The two flavors that really grabbed me were the pink grapefruit and black currant flavors. This smells exactly like those tasted.
Palate: Cantaloupe, barley malt, green wood and sap. More oak than the nose suggests.
Finish: Slight burn with lingering oak.
Comments: This is a very nice dram. Its easy to drink. Its not all that complex, so you can drink a lot of it. It easily holds it’s own with other entry-level drams from the rest of the UK. However, for the price point, I want a little more complexity. I love Wales and there is nothing else like this out there, so I would buy a bottle of it for the novelty. I would drink it all and not necessarily buy another bottle based on this bottling. I’ve enjoyed past bottlings much more and look forward to future bottlings.
Rating: Average
Overall Rating: Average
Hey,
it’s not clear which version of the Penderyn you tried. are u referring to the Madiera finish?
The Aur Cymru is the standard bottling (the Madiera finish). This was the March 09 bottling. I just checked what Jim Murray had to say about it and he rated this one much lower than previous vintages.
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