Angharad encouraged me to stick my nose deep into the barrel.
"Go on," she smiled, "give it a good sniff. The Madeira wine one is my favourite." Somewhat fazed, I obliged and inhaled deeply while she talked the rest of the group through the process of using old bourbon and sherry casks to mature post-fermentation whisky.
"I was always a brandy girl, but I've come to appreciate the complexity of whisky," she told me as we headed to the tasting room for the end of our visit.
I had joined the distillery tour at Penderyn in Llandudno just days after Welsh whisky was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (UK GI) status - a recognition of its all-Welsh operation. It came as a revelation to me. After all, I'd visited North Wales many times before, first as a child and then later with my own children; in all that time, I'd enjoyed its castles, coastal walks and seaside breaks, but never its single malts before.
The all-female distillery team at Penderyn in Llandudno, along with the company's sister sites in Brecon and Swansea, will soon be producing up to 2.5m bottles of whisky each year, having recently beaten the Scottish and Irish to the plaudits at the Spirits Business World Whisky Awards. By the time I'd extracted my nose from the cask, I was already starting to see North Wales in a new light. But, then again, that was the idea all along.
Denne historien er fra October/November 2023-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra October/November 2023-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
