On Sunday 1st March, St David’s Day, Penderyn Distillery will fire the starter gun on a new era for Welsh whisky with the launch of its first 25-year-old age-statement single malts - a landmark moment that completes the story of Welsh greatness in the glass. “This is what we’ve all been waiting for,” say the team at Penderyn, as Wales’ national drink finally steps into the ultra-rare, fully matured arena with a series of aged statements culminating in a coveted 25 Years expression.
Bringing Welsh whisky back from the dead
Welsh whisky disappeared in 1898 and, for more than a century, the category lay dormant - a proud tradition effectively lost. Penderyn changed that. Founded in 2000 as The Welsh Whisky Company, the distillery reignited a national craft that had fallen silent, releasing its first single malt whisky on St David’s Day 2004 in the presence of King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales.
From the outset, Penderyn was a friends-and-family endeavour: local founders, Welsh craftspeople, and a close-knit community of partners determined to put a small nation back on the world whisky map. Their vision was simple but audacious - to create a premium Welsh “liquid gold” that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the best whiskies anywhere. Today, that ambition is realised in more than 140 international awards and exports to over 50 countries worldwide.
A modest nation, a modern icon
Wales is known for understatement, not self-promotion. Yet even in such a modest nation, no one can deny that Penderyn has smashed it for Wales. The distillery is now recognised as the world’s fastest‑growing “World Whisky” and is the most well-known world whisky brand in the UK, outperforming rivals from Japan, India and the United States. According to Nielsen data, Penderyn now ranks among the top 10 most recognised whisky brands in UK retail overall.
What began as a single distillery in the Brecon Beacons has grown into a trio of sites stretching across the breadth of Wales: the original Penderyn distillery (Brecon Beacons), a striking coastal home in Llandudno in North Wales, and a vibrant new site in Swansea in the south. Together they produce up to 2.3 million bottles a year, sending a distinctly Welsh style of single malt to every corner of the globe in over 50 countries.
From steel to spirit - and a royal seal
Penderyn's Chief Executive Stephen Davies, from Port Talbot, personifies the grit behind the brand. A former Welsh steel industry professional, he brought an industrial work ethic and a belief in Welsh potential to the fledgling distillery, helping guide Penderyn from start‑up to global player.
The distillery’s modern story rebirthed national whisky a powerful early seal of approval. Since then, Penderyn has been championed by both the UK Government and the Welsh Government as a soft‑power export for Wales and a standard‑bearer for British craft on the global stage.
A distinctive Welsh style - from Madeira finish to Dragon
Penderyn is famed for a distinctive single malt style, created using its patented Faraday stills which produce an exceptionally clean, light and fruity spirit. The house signature is its single malt finished in ex‑Madeira wine casks, a whisky that has garnered multiple international awards and become a favourite of bartenders and collectors alike.
Alongside this sits the hugely successful Dragon Range, a more accessible collection that has achieved remarkable volume growth in supermarkets and specialist retailers across the UK and beyond.
Loved by Wales - and the Welsh diaspora
Penderyn’s rise has been powered not only by critics and competitions but by the passion of the Welsh diaspora. Bottles of Penderyn are raised in toasts from Cardiff to California, Sydney to São Paulo and UAE, as Welsh communities around the world celebrate a whisky that speaks their language.
Among its most ardent admirers is Welsh Hollywood legend Matthew Rhys, who has repeatedly championed Penderyn and Welsh culture on screen and off. This kind of celebrity endorsement has helped introduce Penderyn to new audiences globally, reinforcing the brand as a symbol of contemporary Welsh confidence.
St David’s Day 2026: the age statements arrive
This St David’s Day, Penderyn formally enters a new chapter with a staged roll-out of fully matured age‑statement whiskies at 12, 21 and 25 years - the first time in its history that the distillery has released an age‑stated range. The centrepiece is Penderyn 25‑Year‑Old Barrel No. 1, drawn from one of the distillery’s earliest casks and limited to a tiny allocation worldwide.
“This is what we’ve all been waiting for,” says CEO Stephen Davies. “Wales has watched Penderyn grow from a brave idea into a global success story. Now, for the first time, we can show the world what long‑matured Welsh whisky truly looks and tastes like.”
Barrel No. 1 - a collector’s dream
Penderyn 25‑Year‑Old Barrel No. 1 (Cask Ref. 1/2000) is already being described by connoisseurs as one of the most desirable Welsh whiskies ever bottled. With a flavour profile that layers figs, vanilla cream, soft toffee and warming spiced oak over Penderyn’s signature fruit‑forward spirit, it represents a once‑in‑a‑generation chance to own a piece of Welsh whisky history.
Serious collectors are moving fast. Early market interest suggests that Barrel No. 1 will follow the trajectory of Penderyn’s most sought‑after limited editions, where buyers currently enjoy strong auction performance and significant upside on original retail prices. As with other rare Penderyn releases, today’s purchasers are likely to look back on these prices as exceptional deals in the years ahead.
Icons of Wales - liquid tributes
Penderyn’s collectability has been cemented by its acclaimed Icons of Wales series - limited releases that celebrate defining Welsh people, places and moments. Recent Icons bottlings consistently perform well on the secondary market, particularly as international interest in Welsh whisky continues to grow.
One standout is Icons of Wales No. 5, “Bryn Terfel,” a bottling honouring the world‑renowned Welsh bass‑baritone. At auction, these releases have achieved hammer prices reaching into the thousands of pounds, with some bottles now commanded at up to around £3,000, underlining the premium that collectors are prepared to pay for rare Penderyn whiskies.
Welsh pride in every glass
From the quiet hills of the Brecon Beacons to the global auction rooms of London, Hong Kong and New York, Penderyn has taken Welsh whisky from non‑existence to global relevance in a single generation. Supported by friends, family, and Welsh workers across three distilleries, the brand has turned a once‑forgotten tradition into a beacon of national pride.
Penderyn may come from a modest and understated nation, but the results speak loudly. With its new 25‑Year‑Old age statements and the unveiling of Barrel No. 1, Penderyn has not only completed the circle of Welsh greatness - it has given Wales a world‑class national drink that the country, and its global diaspora, can raise a glass to with pride.
