A quick note before anything else. This week, four of my Penderyn reviews were done with industry samples provided free of charge and without any pesky strings attached; this message precedes each of those reviews. As ever, I am unsure if that led me to grade harder or easier, but I prefer ant entanglements to be upfront. For more, check out the ethics statement we use on Maltrunners.com.

Whisky: Penderyn 13 Year (2009), LMWD Ex-Libris Cask 87/2009

Country/Region: Wales

ABV: 58.8%

Cask: Ex-Bourbon

Age: 13 Years (Distilled 2009, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Fruity, starchy, and slightly antiseptic with fruity candies, creamy birthday cake frosting, bubblegum, a touch of musk, and starchy root vegetables.

Palate: Medium-bodied, spirited and peppery, fruity candies, floral musk, oak, dried herbs, and orchard fruits.

Finish: Medium to long and peppery with oaky tannins, orchard fruit skins, and a touch of bubble gum.

Score: 5 (76)

Mental Image: Trick-or-Treating in the Beaver Neighborhood

Narrative & Notes: Fruit punch and musk-flavored hard candies arrived with a touch of raspberry jam spilled across birthday cake frosting and a freshly waxed linoleum floor.  The aroma was fruity and sweet, with a touch of plastic and antiseptic lingering in the background. Bubblegum popped into view before scorched rice, and more starchy root vegetables arrived.  Medium-bodied on the palate with plenty of spirited pepper and prickle coming through with fruity candies and a touch of floral musk. Life Savers and hard candies slightly melted against worn oak— the flavor profile turned a touch overly woody with more tannins and dry cinnamon spice pushing through candied orchard fruits and dried herbs.  The finish was medium to long and peppery with oaky tannins, orchard fruit skins, and a touch of bubble gum.

The aroma was interesting, with plenty of the fruity high notes that I love from Penderyn and then some interesting, almost antiseptic qualities that reminded me of floor cleaners— specifically those used while moping during my first job as a grocery store boy. Then there was this odd starchiness to it all— something like boiled potatoes or parsnips. That was all pleasant and interesting, it was on the palate that things fell apart for me as plenty of woody tannins and spice dropped in with a spirited prickle that left this feeling youthful and younger than it was. Water helped tame the spirited prickle and bring forward simpler and clearer fruits.

Overall, a rather discordant whisky with some compelling elements. A fun one for a tasting or cocktails, but not something I would pull down to pour very often. I am occasionally a bit averse to sweeter profiles, so the bubble gum and birthday cake frosting notes were not to my taste— if you love those sorts of notes, you might have a very different take here.