Aber Falls Madeira Cask

Aber Falls Madeira Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - North Wales
Amber orange
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, strawberry jam, hay, lemon verbena, foam shrimp, marshmallows, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, expands.
Tasting:  Sweet. Foam shrimp, strawberry jam, vanilla, hay, cream, marmalade, cloves, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Golden syrup, marmalade, strawberry jam, white pepper, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Jammy and sweet, but also with some herbal grassiness. Lots of that artificial sweet flavour that I associate with foam shrimp. Plenty of orange notes too. A rather nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aber Falls 2021 Release

Aber Falls 2021 Release

Official bottling
Single malt - North Wales
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, lemon sweets, green tea, white grapes, vanilla, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, lemon sweets, malted grains, vanilla, cream, lemon zest, barley sugar. 

Finish: Medium. Pencil erasers, cream, vanilla, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Fruity, quite citrusy, lots of tannins (but fragrant ones). It’s got an oily mouth feel that is very pleasant indeed. Not hugely complex, but tasty and satisfying.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Penderyn Rich Oak

Penderyn Rich Oak

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Wales
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, red grapes, vanilla, oak chips, hints of cedar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, slippery, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, oak chips, toffee, red grapes, vanilla, coffee, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Oak chips, raisins, red grapes, coffee. 

Comments: 

Rich and sweet, although very woody. They weren’t kidding about the oak. I’ve always liked Penderyn, and I’m very interested to see whether the whisky ages well. It won’t be long now.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, lemon sweets, malted grains, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, hints of white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Malted grains, sourdough bread, muesli, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, orange juice, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Short. Vitamin C tablets, white wine, sourdough bread, coffee, hints of grapefruit. 

Comments: 

An interesting experiment - whisky matured in orange wine casks. Well, there’s plenty of citrus fruit, not just orange, but lemon and grapefruit as well. In fact the main note is fizzy vitamin C tablets! A decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aber Falls Inaugural Release

Aber Falls Inaugural Release 

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Amber orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cinnamon, yoghurt, vanilla, orange peel, hints of cloves, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, sticky, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cinnamon, breadsticks, rolled oats, orange peel, raisins, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Rolled oats, breadsticks, orange peel, raisins. 

Comments: 

I’ve been very keen to try some Aber Falls distillate for a while. It’s nice that Wales is now a proper whisky producing country (that is, with more than one distillery). The whisky itself is promising, quite cereally with a little bit of fruit on the nose and palate. I’m quite looking forward to future, older releases.

Verdict:

I like this.

Penderyn 11yo 2008/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Penderyn 11yo 2008/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling
Single malt - South Wales
Dark gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Barley sugar, pears, sultanas, nutmeg, hints of shortcrust pastry. With water, pear drops, blackcurrant cordial, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, sticky, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marmalade, sultanas, pears, nectarines, butterscotch, shortcrust pastry. With water, sour, pear drops, nutmeg, cinnamon, blackcurrant cordial. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, applesauce. 

Comments: 

It's been a long time since I've managed to get my hands on a Penderyn. This one is cask strength, and it really shows. It's intensely jammy, with a beautiful fruity Ribena note. Lots of spices too, it's like eating a blackcurrant pie.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 128.5 (Penderyn 9 yo 2008/2015)

SMWS 128.5 (Penderyn 9 yo 2008/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - South Wales
Pale green gold
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, blueberries, blue raspberries, cherries, blackcurrant cordial, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, slippery. 
Tasting: Sweet. Olive oil, blueberries, white grapes, blackcurrants, toast, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, honey, blueberries, muscat grapes. 

Comments: 

No, this was not a sherry cask, instead I believe it was a bourbon casked whisky. It's the character of Penderyn that produces that fruity, sweet white grape top note. Very drinkable, slight bitter spiciness on the tongue that makes it interesting and prevents it from being a parade of fruity notes. I like this whisky very much indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Penderyn Peated

Penderyn Peated

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Wales
Pale green
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, chocolate, plums, Chinese sour plums, leather, lemon zest, soy sauce, hints of oranges.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, chewy, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Peat, chocolate, white grapes, Chinese sour plums, chocolate, lemon zest, pear drops, hints of leather.
Finish: Medium. White grapes, peat, plums, leather, pear drops, hints of mint.

Comments:

Peaty, grapey, plummy, salty. This is the one special edition that tastes most like the flagship malt. Lots of leathery, tart yet fruity notes. Very enjoyable. I think this is my favourite Penderyn so far. More, please. Quickly, please.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Penderyn Sherrywood

Penderyn Sherrywood

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Wales
Dark gold
46% ABV 
Sampler

Nose: Chocolate, plums, chillies, old leather, orange peel, salt caramel, vanilla, red grapes.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, turns syrupy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Red grapes, raisins, old leather, chocolate, salt caramel, vanilla, orange peel, hints of chillies.
Finish: Short. Red grapes, salt caramel, orange peel, old leather, hints of chillies.

Comments:

Young, light whisky, heavily sherried. Good, complex, interesting nose, although the sherry influence is slightly overpowering on the tongue. There's a lot in here, nice notes of orange peel, floral chillies without the spiciness, savoury old leather. Pretty good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Penderyn Madeira Finish

Penderyn Madeira Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Wales
Golden
46% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Oranges, apricots, caramel, vanilla, white grapes, hints of white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, creamy, thickens. 
Tasting: Bitter sour. Apricots, caramel, vanilla, white chocolate, white grapes, white wine. 
Finish: Medium. White chocolate, white grapes, white wine. 

Comments: 

White everything! The madeira cask clearly imparts the winey notes, but the white chocolate and the fruit were surprises. Very tasty whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 128.3 (Penderyn 5 yo 2006/2012)

SMWS 128.3 (Penderyn 5 yo 2006/2012)

2012, SMWSSingle malt - South Wales
Straw
61.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, raspberries, chestnut puree, chocolate, cherries. With water, pineapple, starfruit.

Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, foamy, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, chestnut puree, raspberries, bananas, condensed milk. With water, vanilla, more milk.

Finish: Short. Chocolate, bananas, condensed milk, cherries. 

Comments: 

Yum yum! Very nice indeed. Surprisingly complex for its age. Penderyn always seems to be fruity. More of the same please, Welsh Whisky!

 Verdict:

 I like this a lot.

Penderyn Welsh Whisky

Penderyn Welsh Whisky

Official bottling
Single malt - South Wales
Bright gold
46% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Red grapes, Chinese sour plums, sea salt, raisins, leather, star anise, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens quickly, smooth, slightly oily.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Raisins, Chinese sour plums, leather, peaches, red wine, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Orange blossom, Chinese sour plums, leather.

Comments:

Madeira matured, possibly around 5 years old. Light, only a little rough, and oddly Chinese. Reminds me of an old sweet shop, with saccharine Chinese sour plums (not salty enough to be Japanese ume). Also reminds me a little of Oban, except that it's not smoky and it's not salty enough. Perhaps this is what Oban would be if it were a Lowlands whisky...

Verdict:

I like this a lot.