South Caernarfon Creameries launches Penderyn whisky-infused cheese

The new celebratory cheese is made with Dragon’s premium Llechwedd slate caverns Cheddar and suffused with Penderyn’s Madeira Finish whisky, which is aged in ex-bourbon barrels finished in madeira wine casks.

Alan Wyn Jones, managing director of South Caernarfon Creameries said, “We knew whisky would work well in our cheese. We wanted a cheese that was celebratory to mark South Caernarfon Creameries’ 80th year and the re-brand of the Dragon cheese range.

“The heritage and the provenance of our products here in Wales is very important to us so we wanted to use a Welsh whisky, and of course, Penderyn was the natural choice, especially as they are opening a new site in North Wales.

“We chose Penderyn’s madeira finish as it has a slightly sweeter flavour which really complements the Llechwedd aged cheese.”

As with all of South Caernarfon Creameries’s cheeses, it is first made at the co-operative’s base near Pwllheli, where it is salted by hand using traditional methods.

Once aged 11 months, it is taken to the depths of the Llechwedd slate caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog, where it is matured for a further three months.

The Llechwedd slate cavern aged Cheddar is then infused with Penderyn whisky before being shaped and packaged.

The launch of the new Dragon cheese took place at the Royal Welsh Show, which coincided with the unveiling of the rebrand of the entire Dragon cheese range.

The Dragon portfolio’s new packaging features brighter colours and a more contemporary version of the brand’s Welsh dragon logo.

“Our customers really value that the cheese is made in Wales and we are supporting the farming community. We are looking forward to sharing what makes Dragon cheese so special in the coming months,” said Emma Knight, marketing manager for South Caernarfon Creameries and the Dragon brand.

The rebrand follows a record-breaking year for the co-operative after sales hit £45.1m in 2017/18.