Review #496 - Penderyn Icons of Wales Hiraeth
Penderyn's 'Icons of Wales' series celebrates famous people, events, or other things associated with Wales. The 8th edition of the series, called 'Hiraeth,' is a reference to a unique Welsh word which is tricky to translate into other languages directly. The closest we can get, according to the brand, is a meaning of "a longing for your homeland, your heritage and your very being."
The whisky itself was finished in ex-bourbon casks, which is a bit of an unusual statement - generally, ex-bourbon casks are the first cask a spirit enters and spends most of its maturation time in before being transferred to something more exotic. Penderyn doesn't specify what the original casks were - more ex-bourbon casks, perhaps?
This release also has the distinction of being the first in Penderyn's core range that was produced mostly in pot stills; previous releases from the distillery were generally distilled in a combination of their unique Faraday still and a column still. At bottling time, the strength was reduced to 46% ABV, and there's no chill filtration to worry about.
Penderyn Icons of Wales Hiraeth
Wales - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 89 (2025)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Finished in ex-bourbon casks
Details: Not chill filtered, bottled 2021; Icons of Wales No. 8/50
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 70% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Quite fruity and light - strong pear notes, along with a little bit of tropical fruit. There are some floral heather notes, and time brings baking scents of cinnamon and brown sugar, as well as a soft spirit note.
Palate: Warming, with a medium-thick mouthfeel. Oak is stronger now, bringing cinnamon, wood spice, and white pepper; sweetness balances that out, specifically with notes of vanilla bean and pears. There's an oily texture, and peppercorn spice gets stronger later.
Finish: Still warming, and now a bit more drying. Dry wood, vanilla that isn't too sweet; white pepper, cardamom, and clove add to the baking theme. It's a medium length finish.
Final Note: This is a nice ex-bourbon single malt - relatively straightforward, but with solid flavors, especially in the light fruit and baking spice realms. The texture is good for the strength, and it does give a surprisingly warming experience considering that bottling strength; overall, pleasant to sip on.
Value is alright - slightly expensive in our opinion, maybe, but not a bad deal. There are a couple of other bottles in the Penderyn range, though, like the Madeira Finish, which offer slightly better value.
Our Average Rating: 6.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.38
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out some of our other World Whisky reviews:
