2023 was a big year for the Welsh whisky industry, as the tipple was registered under the UK Geographical Indication scheme (UKGI) in July of this year and given PGI (protected geographical indication) status. The first distilleries to be given this status were Penderyn, In The Welsh Wind, Da Mhile, and Coles. As of October 2023, Aber Falls distillery has now joined the list.
So, what exactly does this mean for the future of Welsh whisky?
The UK Geographical Indication Scheme & Welsh Whisky
Products protected by the UKGI scheme are food, drink, and agricultural products that have a geographical connection and/or are made by traditional methods. Registration on the scheme protects the product as intellectual property.
For example, Scotch whisky is registered under the UKGI scheme. As a result, Scotch whisky can only be called as such if it is distilled, matured, and bottled in Scotland. The scheme protects the product from being associated with imitations and means that all Scotch whisky must be solely produced in Scotland.
As such, the registration of Welsh whisky on the scheme means that Welsh whisky is now a geographically protected product that must be distilled, matured, and bottled in Wales.
This development is important for the Welsh whisky industry because it represents legal and public recognition of the unique nature of the product. The certification also means a legitimisation of the industry that will certainly lead to more jobs, more distilleries, more money for the economy, and (of course) more whisky.
It is also important for Welsh whisky consumers as the certification will assure them that the product that they are consuming is genuine.
As of November 2023, English whisky is the only whisky produced in the UK that does not have geographical protection. Is this something that might change in 2024?
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Other Geographically Protected Products
Welsh whisky joins a number of other products on the UKGI scheme that are geographically protected. These include Scotch whisky, Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Welsh lamb, and Jersey Royal potatoes.
A Brief History of Welsh Whisky
Whisky has been distilled in Wales for centuries, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is said that monks began developing the art of distilling, although this is debated. By the late 1800s production had all but ceased, with the last Welsh whisky dstillery liquidated in 1910.
The Welsh Whisky Company (Penderyn) was founded in 2000 and a distillery was built in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Penderyn released its first Welsh whisky in 2004.
Since the establishment of Penderyn, a number of Welsh distilleries have been built including Da Mhile in 2016, Aber Falls in 2017, and Coles distillery was up and running by 2020. Anglesey Mon and In The Welsh Wind are also currently producing whisky.
