The Copper Lady Welsh Blended Malt Whisky

A Limited Edition Welsh Blended Malt

Release Date: St David's Day, 2026. Batch Size: 50 Bottles Only

A Union of North and South

"From the mountain to the smelter, and back to the glass."

This unique, limited-edition whisky is more than just a blend of spirits; it is a liquid tribute to the industrial heritage that forged modern Wales.

For the first time, we have brought together two distinct characters of Welsh distilling to mirror the historic journey of Welsh copper:

  • The North (The Ore): A bourbon cask-matured Single Malt from Anglesey Môn Distillery. Light, sweet, and golden, representing the raw riches of Parys Mountain.

  • The South (The Fire): A rich STR (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred) cask Single Malt from Penderyn Distillery. Deep, fruity, and spicy, representing the heat of the Swansea smelters.

Together, they create a harmonious, complex dram that bridges the geography of our nation.

A Rare Piece of History With only 50 bottles in existence, the bottle you hold in your hand is a true collector's item.

The story: The Copper Ladies of Parys Mountain

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Parys Mountain on Anglesey was home to the largest copper mine in the world. It was a place of smoke, fire, and immensely hard labour.

Unlike other mines of the era, women and children were strictly forbidden from working underground at Parys Mountain. Instead, the surface became the domain of the "Copar Ladis" (Copper Ladies).

These resilient women worked in long timber sheds, seated in ranks beside the whimsies that hauled the ore from the deep. Their job was "cobbing" breaking the heavy lumps of ore into small, manageable pieces by hand.

The Uniform of Industry They were famous for their distinctive and protective dress, described vividly in historical accounts. They wore "Jim Crow" felt hats to protect against flying stone, with spotted scarves covering their heads, necks, and faces to keep out the dust. Perhaps most notably, the fingers and thumb of their left hand were encased in strong iron tubes, a gauntlet of metal rings, to protect them as they held the ore against iron "knockstones" and struck it with heavy hammers.

It was grueling piece-work, performed for twelve pence a day, extracting the good ore from the bad amidst the sulphurous fumes of the open-cast mine.

The Connection to the South

The ore broken by these women didn't stay on Anglesey. It was shipped south to "Copperopolis" Swansea. There, the coal-fired smelters turned the rock into the metal that sheathed the ships of the Royal Navy. This whisky blend reunites that historic link between the mines of the North and the industry of the South.

A Witness to History: Dr. Michael Faraday's Account

In 1819, the renowned scientist Dr. Michael Faraday visited Parys Mountain to witness the industry first-hand. In a fascinating twist of history that links this very bottle to its contents, Dr. Michael Faraday is the ancestor of Dr. David Faraday—the chemical engineer who, nearly two centuries later, designed the unique "Faraday Still" that Penderyn Distillery uses to create their iconic new make spirit. The Faraday name has looked over both the ancient copper mines and the modern Welsh whisky industry.

Dr. Michael Faraday was struck by the atmospheric scene of the Copper Ladies. His 1819 diary entry captures the intensity of their work in full detail:

"The ore is raised from the mine by the whimsy in large heavy masses and is then thrown over a stage onto the ground below where it comes into charge of the cobber’s, principally women and boys. We came up to a large group of these, about 8 or 9 women were sitting on the ground in the midst of heaps of ore of the large and small, their mouths were covered with a cloth to keep the dust of the ore from entering with the breath.

The fingers and thumb of the left hand were cased in strong iron tubes forming a sort of glove. A large hammer was handled in the right hand and a block of ore placed before them served as an anvil. Thus furnished they were employed in breaking lumps of ore into small pieces and selecting the good from the bad.

The good gradually accumulated into a heap before them being the produce of their labour and the earthy and stony parts are carted away. The boys assisted them by fetching lumps and by selecting the broken portions. Altogether they formed an amusing but not an enticing group. These, and indeed all who work at the mines, are paid piece-work according to the quantity and quality of what they produce an assay master being employed to ascertain the latter and overseer the former."

🎧 Listen to the History

Click the link above to hear a reading of Dr. Faraday's

full atmospheric description of his visit to the mine.

Read by Sean Williams

Tasting Notes

The Blend: Penderyn (STR Cask) and Anglesey Môn (Bourbon Cask) ABV: 48% (Non-Chill Filtered)

  • Nose: The sweetness of the Anglesey bourbon cask hits first with vanilla and creamy toffee, quickly followed by the red berry fruits and subtle spice from the Penderyn STR. A hint of mineral dust, a nod to the mountain, lingers in the background.

  • Palate: A rich, oily mouthfeel. The "cobbing" together of the spirits works perfectly; sweet toffee and rich vanilla from the North meet dried fruits, cracked black pepper, and a distinctive slight aniseed note from the South.

  • Finish: Long, warming, and slightly drying, leaving a taste of sweet spice and oak char.