Ex Libris: The Book of Taliesin

EX LIBRIS - THE BOOK OF TALIESIN

PENDERYN - AGED 12 YEARS (2010)

With its emblematic labels inspired by book covers, Ex Libris is La Maison du Whisky’s first range dedicated to world whiskies. It scours the world’s distilleries year after year, offering exceptional single casks bottled at cask strength. The collection draws its inspiration from novels and poetry, naming its bottlings after the work of a leading author from the region it explores. This edition is devoted to Welsh whisky, with four versions from Penderyn Distillery. These single malts are named after the titles of some of the most famous and ancient medieval manuscripts of Welsh poetry. The Book of Taliesin is one of the most famous of Middle Welsh manuscripts, dating from the first half of the 14th century, best known as the source of the Mabinogion. It contains some of the oldest poems in Welsh.

PRODUCTION:

• Bottling: 2023

• Cask Number: Single Cask n°279/2010

• Cask Type: 2nd fill Bourbon

• Age: 12 Years

• ABV: 60.1%

• Number of Bottles: 215

Opened in 2000, Penderyn, of the town of the same name, is the first Welsh distillery to produce whisky in over a century. The last Welsh manufacturer of this spirit closed its doors in 1903. The distillery is equipped with two Faraday stills and two more traditional 2,500-liter pot stills and work with the Laureate variety of barley which is grown and malted on England’s east coast. This 2010 vintage was aged in a 2nd fill Bourbon cask. This abundantly juicy bottling proudly displays a deeply natural and authentic fruity character. The Book of Taliesin is the eponymous manuscript of a chief bard in the courts of at least three kings of Britain.

TASTING NOTES:

Nose:Juicy and tangy. Starting with tropical fruits (passion fruit, lychee), the nose stands out with its complexity. On aeration, it moves on to white chocolate and mint notes.

Palate: Tasty and fruity. Just like the nose, the attack starts on exotic notes (pineapple, kumquat), along with poached pear. Candied ginger, and oriental spices (cumin, turmeric) coat the taste buds.

Finish: Vegetal and spicy. Through notes of noble wood (cedar), the finish gives way to gingerbread and leather aromas. Finally, the end of the empty glass goes towards aniseed notes, and apricot stone.