The 8th in our ‘Icons of Wales’ series was launched in December 2021 and commemorates the wonderful Welsh word, ‘Hiraeth’. Difficult to translate into English, some say ‘yearning’ or ‘homesickness’, but the BBC’s Roy Noble summed it up very nicely as: “a longing for your homeland, your heritage and your very being”.

This whisky is an ex-Bourbon cask finish and is bottled at 46% abv, and is the first time Penderyn have released a core range single malt using mainly spirit from the pot stills, which we introduced in 2014.  

Nose: Elegant and floral with light oak notes, vanilla, raisins, toffee apples, citrus peel and a hint of lime.

Palate: A delicate smooth single malt with honeyed fruits, vanilla, cinnamon spice and a hint of nutmeg.

Finish: Soft honey and vanilla notes fade to a malty finish.

The Welsh language is one of the oldest in Europe and one of the most evocative Welsh words is ‘Hiraeth’, which Penderyn celebrate with this Icon of Wales edition, which is number 8 in the series.

So what does this word ‘Hiraeth’ mean? Well, it’s not easy to translate into English, which means it has a sort of magical quality. Some definitions include, ‘belonging’, ‘homesickness’, ‘regret’, ‘nostalgia’, ‘wistfulness’ or a ‘yearning for a home to which you cannot return’, or indeed ‘for a home which may have never been’. Another definition is ‘A sense of loss for an ancient land,’ as Wales was a dynamic and flourishing country in medieval times. Penderyn are proud to be a Welsh company and part of the renaissance in Welsh manufacturing in a country which is increasingly becoming more optimistic.

Hiraeth is a powerful word, especially to the Welsh people around the world, and as Penderyn is now in over 48 countries it seemed a perfect ‘Icon’ to celebrate Wales and ‘Welshness.’