World Whisky Day 2024, Hensol Castle Distillery and Tiny Rebel Unveil a Unique Welsh Single Malt Whisky
Blog17 MAY '24
‘’The pinnacle of being a distiller is to create a multitude of original single malts.’’
After three and a half years of meticulous craftsmanship and unwavering dedication, we are proud to officially announce our latest venture; a ground-breaking collaboration with Tiny Rebel Brewery to create a unique single malt Welsh whisky.
Dai’s vision, combined with the technical expertise of Mark Gammons, the Head Brewer at Tiny Rebel, prompted the beginning of the collaboration which started one year ago with the laying down of our ex-bourbon barrels.
To commemorate the one year anniversary of our three year process, our distillery team tasted our new make spirit, and we are excited with how it has evolved in just 12 months.
Tiny Rebel has been contract brewing a bespoke 100% malted barley beer wash, according to Dai and Mark’s recipe, which serves as the foundation for the distillation process that happens back at Hensol Castle Distillery, yielding a whisky of unparalleled depth and character.
Exactly 12 months ago, the distillers laid down their first 200L ex-Jack Daniels barrels of Welsh single malt whisky.
Under the stewardship of Head Distiller Kyle Jones and Technical Distillery Carl Andrews, the distillery has refined its distillation techniques, drawing from a collective 30 years of expertise in craft liquid production.
After our first tasting session of the New Make Malt Spirit, one year into our three year journey. these were the thoughts of our master distiller Dai Wakely:
“ The evolution of the whisky is a fascinating one; initially we noted flavours of banana and bubble gum, which matured into nuanced notes of vanilla, dried fruit and sweet spice, after resting in ex-bourbon barrels for 12 months.
Working with Tiny Rebel has been a breeze. The turnaround time was remarkably quick, and the beer wash received is consistently of the highest quality. Together we’ve crafted what I believe to be a timeless elixir that promises to captivate whisky enthusiasts worldwide, and we’re hoping to carve ourselves a place alongside other esteemed Welsh distilleries, such as Penderyn and Aberfalls.”
