Penderyn - Icon No.10 Yma O Hyd

Penderyn Icon No.10 Yma O Hyd is a single malt Welsh whisky bottled at 43% ABV, the tenth release in Penderyn Distillery's Icons of Wales series. It takes its name from "Yma O Hyd", the Welsh-language anthem written by Dafydd Iwan that became the rallying song of Wales' football supporters, and this bottling was produced in partnership with the Football Association of Wales as the whisky released to mark Wales' campaign at the 2022 World Cup.

Penderyn is produced by the Welsh Whisky Company, founded in 1998 by a group of friends in a pub in Hirwaun who set out to establish the first whisky distillery in Wales in over a century. The first spirit ran from the stills at Penderyn, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, in September 2000, with the site chosen for its own supply of fresh natural spring water. Since then the company has expanded with further distilleries in Llandudno and at the Copperworks in Swansea, but this bottling remains true to the original single malt style produced using Penderyn's distinctive single copper pot still.

Yma O Hyd is matured in American rye casks and bottled without chill filtration, a process that keeps more of the whisky's natural character and texture in the glass. On the nose it is fragrant and floral, with baking spices, toffee, caramel and notes of baked apple and pear. The palate is smooth, offering sweet caramel and sultanas alongside baked apple and cinnamon, with pepper and oak spice and a touch of ginger and clove coming through. The finish carries a caramel sweetness with herbal and peppery notes that linger pleasantly.

Served neat or with a splash of water in a tulip shaped nosing glass, this whisky rewards a slow approach that lets its spice and fruit notes develop. It also works well as a dram to mark an occasion, whether that is watching Wales play or simply raising a glass to Welsh culture and language. For food pairing, its caramel and spice profile suits rich fruit cake, dark chocolate, or mature cheeses such as a strong cheddar or a Caerphilly.

As part of the Icons of Wales series, Yma O Hyd stands as both a well made single malt and a tribute to a song that has become part of the fabric of Welsh identity. For anyone with an interest in Penderyn's whisky or in Wales' footballing history, it offers a distinctive and well crafted way to mark that connection.