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May 17th Sees Penderyn Open New Distillery In North
Wales, On Same Day That Wales Re-Open Pubs, Restaurants And
Tourist Venues
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New Distillery Occupies Grade II Listed Former Old
Board School In Lloyd Street, Built In 1887, and latterly the
Conwy Council Archive
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17 New Jobs For Llandudno Region From New
Distillery
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Commissioning Distiller Bethan Morgans Will Launch
Production on 17th May 2021
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Natural Spring Water Supplied From Reservoir That Once
Served The Victorian Lighthouse On The Great Orme
Headland
For 20 years, Penderyn Distillery - The Welsh Whisky Company –
based in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales has been working to
bring back the spirit of the original Welsh Whisky distillery at
Frongoch, near Bala, which closed over 100 years ago after
receiving a royal warrant from Queen Victoria in July 1895. The
distillery closed mainly due to Prohibition.
That Welsh spirit is well and truly back, as last year Penderyn
had its biggest ever gold medal haul at the San Francisco World
Spirits Competition.
That gold run is continuing with Penderyn - despite continued and
sometimes difficult coronavirus restrictions - about to produce
its own liquid gold at their new £5 million Lloyds Street
distillery in North Wales tourist mecca, the wonderful town of
Llandudno.
Penderyn has expanded its operation with the opening on Monday,
May 17, 2021 of their second distillery, in the Grade II listed
Old Board School built in 1887, and latterly in the Conwy Council
archive, which became available in 2020.
A £1.4 million Welsh Government grant from the ‘Tourism
Investment Scheme’ and the ‘Food Business Investment scheme’ has
made the vision of Penderyn’s new distillery a reality.
Faraday still
A new Faraday still (unique to Penderyn) has been installed and
has been readied for production by Penderyn’s Commissioning
Distiller Bethan Morgans, which will focus, for the first time in
Welsh history, on peated barley single malt whisky. Whisky, by
law, has to be in a barrel for 3 years and a day, so we will have
to wait quite a while to taste it, but, even though it’s a peated
whisky, it will have Penderyn’s characteristics – light, fruity,
flavoursome whiskies.
Penderyn’s Director of Operations, Neil Quigley, has been pivotal
to getting the new Llandudno distillery open on time. He says:
"Since its inception 3 years ago, this has been a hugely exciting
and challenging project. I'm pleased to have kept this remarkable
renovation on time and on track." Mold-based MPH Construction
have added the modern glazed extension to the back of the
building, while Michael Kavanagh, Development Director of Short
Bros Homes, has been critical in supporting the renovation as
Project Manager.
Welsh Liquid Gold to 45 Countries
With exports of ‘Welsh Liquid Gold’ to more than now 45
countries, Wales is now well and truly on the map of World
whiskies to watch.
According to Penderyn Distillery’s CEO, Stephen Davies, “Penderyn
has always had a loyal following in North Wales”.
“But with the South separated from the North by mountains and
lakes, Penderyn has finally brought the country together”.
“By opening in Llandudno, visited by 9.6 million tourists every
year, we’re saying ‘Welcome home to Wales and to Penderyn’.
Tours of Penderyn's new distillery in Lloyd Street, Llandudno
will commence from the 1st June 2021 and the booking system will
be live by the middle of May. These will initially be restricted
to 8 visitors per tour, rather than the usual 20, due to social
distancing. The annual estimate of 60,000 tourists is currently
being restricted to 20,000, until the aforementioned
social-distancing measures are lifted.
70 Welsh Geographical Indicators
As global expansion continues, Penderyn has
been working with the UK Government to enshrine 70 Welsh
Geographical Indicators (GIs) in terms of the unique production
process of Welsh Whisky. And during the pandemic, Penderyn
produced Hand Sanitiser for use in the NHS and for Transport for
Wales.
“Penderyn's distilleries have brought together North and South
Wales, from our Brecon Beacons Headquarters to this new Llandudno
Lloyd St distillery,” says Davies. “We look forward to taking
Penderyn to even newer heights when Penderyn opens a third
distillery in the Swansea Hafod Copperworks development. The
finest spirit rises to the top, and at Penderyn we are always
continuing to innovate and develop our business.”
According to Owner and Director of Penderyn Distillery, Nigel
Short: "‘From the very start of our journey at Penderyn over 20
years ago we have received great support from the people and
businesses of North Wales. It is with huge pleasure that we are
opening our new distillery and visitor centre in the heart of
Llandudno. Our special thanks go to all at Conwy Council who were
so welcoming and instrumental in helping to deliver a very
special building restoration and attraction, one we hope will
make everyone proud."
The new distillery in Llandudno will be managed by Local
resident, Dafydd Pesic-Smith.
