Penderyn Icons of Wales No 9 The Headliner Welsh Whisky 46%

The only Welshman ever to become British Prime Minister accidentally laid the foundations for modern whisky. That story deserves its own bottle — and now it has one.

Expert description

Penderyn Icons of Wales No. 9 The Headliner is a Single Malt Welsh Whisky matured in Jamaican rum casks and ruby port casks, bottled at 46%. The bottle honours David Lloyd George (1863-1945), the only Welshman to serve as British Prime Minister, and the wartime chancellor who introduced the Immature Spirits Act of 1915 — a law requiring at least three years of cask ageing for spirits, which unintentionally laid the groundwork for the entire modern premium whisky industry.

The combination of rum and port casks gives the whisky a full, fruity character that builds on Penderyn's clean spirit from the Faraday still. The Headliner is one of the more storytelling-driven bottles in the Icons of Wales series, where the tale of the law — and the man behind it — is as much part of the experience as the flavour itself.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers red berries, strawberries and cream and cranberry, alongside light oak, vanilla and a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Palate

The palate is full of dried fruit and salted caramel, spiced with floral honey, black pepper and a dry, firm tannin from the casks.

Finish

The finish opens sweet and drifts gradually toward a dry, fruity close, with the spice lingering longest.

Specifications

Name: Penderyn Icons of Wales No 9 The Headliner Welsh Whisky 46%
Distillery: Penderyn
Region/Country: Brecon Beacons, Wales
Type: Single Malt Welsh Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Jamaican rum casks and ruby port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distillation method: Faraday distillation
Edition: Icons of Wales No. 9
EAN no.: 5011594001729

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Cask-forward

Did you know?

The law David Lloyd George introduced in 1915 to curb alcohol consumption during the First World War required at least three years of cask maturation for all spirits — a rule that still governs Scotch and Welsh whisky today, more than a century later.

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Frequently asked questions about Penderyn Icons of Wales No 9 The Headliner Welsh Whisky 46%

Who is The Headliner named after?

The bottle honours David Lloyd George, the only Welshman to have served as British Prime Minister, and the man behind the 1915 law that introduced the three-year cask-ageing requirement for spirits.

Why is the whisky called The Headliner?

The name refers to how Lloyd George's legislation accidentally became the single most important event in modern whisky production — a 'headline' in whisky history, without ever intending to be.

What casks is Penderyn The Headliner matured in?

The whisky is matured in a combination of Jamaican rum casks and ruby port casks, which give it its full, fruity character.

Is The Headliner a smoky whisky?

No, its character comes from the rum and port casks, not from peat or smoke.

What number is The Headliner in the Icons of Wales series?

It's number 9 in the series, which continues to honour people, places and phenomena from Welsh history and culture.

Is Penderyn Icons of Wales No. 9 worth it?

The unusual rum and port cask combination, paired with the story of the 1915 legislation, gives the bottle a substance that reaches beyond the flavour alone — it's more than just another cask finish.