Hensol Castle Distillery
Hensol Castle Distillery is South Wales' first full-scale distillery, installed in the cellars of the grade I listed 17th-century Hensol Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan. Built in 2019 and opened in 2020 at a cost of £7 million, the distillery is owned by the Leeke family — whose business portfolio includes the Vale Resort and Leekes Retail group — and combines own-brand spirit production with a significant contract distilling and bottling operation, a gin school, and a premium visitor attraction. The location near Cardiff makes it one of the most accessible distilleries in Wales.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
The Hensol Castle estate dates to the early 1400s, with the current castle building originating in the 17th century and listed as a grade I building of exceptional historic importance. The Leeke family, whose ironmongery and retail business was founded in 1897, invested £7 million in building the distillery in the castle cellars in 2019, with operations commencing in 2020.
The facility is described as the UK's only full-scale gin distillery operating within a 17th-century castle. The Leeke family conceived the project to give new purpose to the castle cellars while establishing a high-end hospitality and spirits destination in the Vale of Glamorgan. In addition to its own spirits, the distillery operates a significant contract distilling, bottling, warehousing, and consultancy service for other brands.
Welsh Single Malt Whisky production is in development at the distillery, which would make Hensol Castle one of a small number of Welsh whisky producers alongside Penderyn Distillery.
Production
The distillery is housed in the stone vaulted cellars of Hensol Castle, creating a dramatic and highly distinctive production environment. Production covers gin (the primary focus), rum, vodka, brandy, vermouth, and liqueurs, with whisky in development. Contract services include distilling, bottling, warehousing, and consultancy. The gin school and rum-making experiences are a significant part of the visitor proposition.
Tasting Character
Three own-brand labels are produced: Hensol Castle (flagship), Crawshay, and Benjamin Hall. Trulo is a range of reduced-calorie liqueurs. The gin range draws on Welsh botanicals and is produced in the historic castle cellars. Specific tasting notes for individual expressions are available at hensolcastledistillery.com.
[!question] Gap — verified tasting notes for Hensol Castle own-label spirits not available from current sources
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Hensol Castle Gin£28.95 — Flagship gin produced in the castle cellars
- Crawshay expression — Named for the Crawshay family, Welsh industrialists associated with the region
- Benjamin Hall expression£19.95 — Named for the man who gave Big Ben its name, a Welsh MP of the Victorian era
- Trulo Liqueurs — Range of reduced-calorie liqueurs
Buy their whiskey
1 Hensol Castle Distillery bottle stocked across 1 retailer.
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Visiting
Tours and experiences available. The 90-minute gin tour includes a G&T on arrival, history of the castle and gin, botanicals education, distilling process, and a tutored tasting. A gin-making experience, rum-making experience, and cocktail masterclasses are also offered. Both a physical shop and online shop are operated. Address: Hensol Castle, Vale of Glamorgan CF72 8JX. See hensolcastledistillery.com for booking.
Official Website
