Page 45 - QARANC Vol 20 No 4 2023

WELSH BRANCH
From the Royal Mint to the Penderyn Distillery
Members and friends recently attended an organised visit to the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales. It opened in 1968 and its first project was to deliver billions of coins required for decimalisation.
The tour shone a light on the history of the Royal Mint over 1,100 or so years, including the impact of everything from wars and political upheaval to economic progress and the present.
We got an overview of the process of producing coins – from an initial sheet of metal to the finished article and saw the workforce in action, and observed the state-of-the-art machinery involved in the production process.
During the tour, we had an opportunity to buy and strike a coin to take home. We also learnt how each coin is designed in a way that makes it difficult to counterfeit.
Interestingly, the Royal Mint also strike campaign and service medals to honour the bravery of personnel in the Armed Forces, some of which are on display in the exhibition. The first medal honoured the bravery of soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo.
And in 2012, the Royal Mint even produced 4,700 medals for the London Olympics and Paralympics.
Following the tour, we had lunch and caught up at the restaurant, exchanging photos and our new- found knowledge of the intricacies involved in the coin-making process.
In May, 11 members and friends met at Garwnant Country Park. It was lovely being able to eat outside in the sunshine, the view of Lonnon Reservoir in the distance with the sun shining on the water, so beautiful and relaxing.
Looking around the countryside looked wonderful, lots of bird song in the air.
Following brunch, we went on a car adventure via B roads to Penderyn. Marion, our organiser for the day, showed us two Iron Age Cairns indicative
Looking around the countryside looked wonderful, lots of bird song in the air.
of villages being in the locality. The views from the road were stunning as we looked over to the Rhigos, Aberdare valley etc.
We travelled to St Cynog Church in Penderyn where we met Hester (a member) and Martin who took us on a historical tour of the immediate vicinity.
Following our walking tour, we arrived back at the main road in Penderyn, not too far from the distillery. Thanks are due to Marion for providing us with a fabulous police escort to the distillery. What an entrance we made.
Whiskey had been distilled in Wales for hundreds of years until 1894. Penderyn became the first whiskey to be manufactured in Wales for over a century when the company was launched in 2000 as the Welsh Whisky Company.
The first thing you notice on entering is the heat. We learnt how Welsh whiskey is produced and were shown the mill, mash tun, washbacks and finally the stills themselves. At the barrel display area our guide described the maturation process.
The distillery is located above an underground reservoir of Brecon Beacon pure water. Due to the strength of the pure whiskey, Brecon Beacon water is added before bottling. Then it was onto the tasting bar where we were offered the opportunity to taste two of the whiskeys.
A lovely ending to a very interesting day, filled with chattering and laughter.
The branch now has 76 members, including our new chair Rosy Hubbard and new secretary Paula Mitchell. We are actively organising events including a planned visit to Nantgarw china museum in November.
The Gazette QARANC Association 45