Ex Libris: The Red Book of Hergest

EX LIBRIS - THE RED BOOK OF HERGEST

PENDERYN - AGED 11 YEARS (2012)

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 Red Book of Hergest is a collection of Welsh prose and poetry, notably the tales of the Mabinogion is a large vellum manuscript written in the 14th century. It ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language.

PRODUCTION:

• Bottling: 2023

• Cask Number: Single Cask n°S77

• Cask Type: Ex-Sherry Oloroso

• Age: 11 Years

• ABV: 59.7%

• Number of Bottles: 237

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 2012 vintage has been aged in ex-Sherry Oloroso cask, giving it an intense profile. It has taken on black fruits, woody and dried fruits nuances. The Red Book contains historical texts, including a Welsh translation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae — which helped popularize the legend of King Arthur — poems and a series of Triads.

TASTING NOTES:

Nose: Warm and spicy. The elegant nose reveals bitter almond, cherry brandy, along with coconut and vanilla notes. Allowed to breathe, hay, marzipan fragrances appear together in harmony. Palate: Fruity and explosive. The powerful attack reveals brioche, varnished wood flavours. The after-taste develops red berries, prune and blackcurrant notes. Finish: Rich and long. At the start of the finish, vanilla bean, white mint, and lemon zest cohabit together. Becoming increasingly spicy, Espelette pepper notes gently appear. The end of the finish hands over to a more rooty character (ginger).