Article: A Guide to Welsh Whisky
A Guide to Welsh Whisky
Welsh whisky has quietly come of age. Once a footnote in the story of British spirits, it now stands on its own, with its own character, its own makers and a growing shelf of awards. If you are new to it, or wondering what sets it apart from Scotch or Irish whiskey, here is what to know.
What is Welsh whisky?
Welsh whisky is, simply, whisky made in Wales. The modern revival began in 2000 with the founding of Penderyn, and the category has grown steadily since, with distilleries now working the length of the country. In 2023, Single Malt Welsh Whisky was granted Protected Geographical Indication status, the first spirit protected under the UK scheme. The name can now only be used for whisky made entirely in Wales, and we were one of five Welsh distilleries whose application secured it.
What makes Welsh whisky distinctive
Wales brings its own ingredients to the glass. A mild, damp maritime climate shapes how spirit matures in the cask. Welsh barley, Welsh water and Welsh weather all leave their mark. But more than any single factor, what defines the best Welsh whisky is intent: small distilleries making deliberate choices about where their grain comes from and how their spirit is made.
Grain to glass, the In the Welsh Wind way
We are the only Welsh distillery producing 100 percent grain-to-glass whisky in Wales. For our green malt whisky all of our barley is grown within 10 miles of the distillery and doesn't leave the country until it is delivered to you. Our green malt barley captures the raw taste of our Ceredigion fields, and you can read more about this in our Welsh Origin Whisky story.
Our Welsh whiskies
- Brychan, our blended Welsh malt, awarded Gold and named Best Welsh Blended Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2026.
- Ceredig, the second in our trio of blended malts, and the debut of our green malt spirit outside a single malt.
- Rhif Un, our first fully Welsh single malt, grain to glass. Distilled from unkilned green malt using 100 percent Ceredigion barley and matured in Palo Cortado, red wine and sweet sherry casks. The first of our whiskies to embody Tir, our sense of place, released as a numbered limited edition.
Before Rhif Un, there were two earlier releases:
Palo Cortado release. Our first release saw the very first whisky we produced and aged in small casks, married together and finished in a Palo Cortado cask. This small batch release of 600 bottles was highly anticipated and sold out in a couple of days.
Rum cask release. Release number two saw another combination of small cask whiskies finished together in a rum cask. This was a smaller batch of 350 bottles, but equally anticipated, as these bottles also didn't last long.
Alongside these, we released a small number of independent bottlings, exploring the character different casks can bring while our own spirit matures quietly in the warehouse. And for those who want to go further, you can own your own cask of Welsh single malt and follow it from field to glass.
How to enjoy Welsh whisky
Welsh whisky rewards an unhurried approach. Pour a measure neat, warmed gently in the hand, and let it open. If you prefer something longer, our Amaro Cymru cocktail is a fine place to start.
Explore the range
Discover our full range of Welsh whisky, made grain to glass on the Ceredigion coast.
