Celebrating Welsh food and drink

specialityfoodmagazine.com 45 Hensol Castle Distillery ANDY MALLOWS Nestled just outside Cardiff, Hensol Castle Distillery is SouthWales’ first full-scale distillery, gin and rum school, visitor experience and contract bottling facility. The teamproudly produces a range of award-winning spirits, each one distilled with passion, precision and a dash of heritage. Hensol Castle Distillery’s premium spirits can be found stocked in retailers and venues acrossWales – offering a true taste of Welsh craftsmanship, born in a castle. The jewel in Hensol Castle Distillery’s crown, award winning Hensol Castle Gin, is a traditional copper pot distilled London Dry gin. Juniper led, driven by hand-peeled citrus and a wildflower medley that’s grown in the ground of the castle, it’s the perfect balance of spice and sweet botanicals, making this gin the perfect accompaniment with anymixer or cocktail. The rest of the Hensol Castle Distillery range consists of Black Gin, Blood Orange Zest Gin, Wild Strawberry & Hibiscus Gin, Spiced Rum, Cherry Spiced Rum, Vodka and Age At Home SingleMalt Whisky. hensolcastledistillery.co.uk Aber Falls SAM FOSTER The village of Abergwyngregyn is home to Aber Falls distillery and sits at the foot of the famous Aber Falls waterfall. Previously a slate works in the 19th century, amargarine factory during the world wars, andmore recently a drinks wholesaler depot, the building has been lovingly restored and refurbished, providing the ideal place to create spirits and demonstrate Aber Falls’ passion and skill in craftsmanship. The Aber Falls range covers whisky, gin and liqueurs, and the whisky was not only the first one to be created inWales for over 100 years but is made usingWelsh ingredients. The stills with which this whisky is made are specially designed to produce refined, premiumquality whisky. The copper removes any sulphur, with the large surface area of Aber Falls’ tall still ensuringmaximumcontact with the liquid. Aber Falls has been embraced by the local community and is working to establish strong links and partnerships with otherWelsh businesses, with the goal of improving sustainability and driving the local economy and tourism trade. Clwb Llechi, or Slate Club, allows customers to invest in their own piece of Aber Falls history, and watch their whisky flourish fromdistillation through to bottling. aberfallsdistillery.com