Penderyn on BBC One Wales News on the 21st August 2024

to Wales and Beyond now when it comes to Whiskey Scottish and Irish malts probably spring to mind but Welsh producers say a special protection has given credibility and status to the drink as our business correspondent Hugh Thomas reports at The pendan Distillery in Swansea there are the sights and sounds of a great drink being prepared the single malt whiskey has had the Royal seal of approval for 20 years but it took collaboration with wales's four other distilleries to secure the protected Geographic indicator or the PGI mark one year ago to State its importance to Wales we had to cooperate with the other four distilleries in Wales and we eventually came to a consensus which was accepted uh by the authorities and and the the status was granted so it's got to be produced in Wheels it's got to use Welsh water it's got to be poled in Wheels the PGI Mark protects Welsh single malt from imitation and should raise its profile too and it has joined other famous Welsh products with a special status now we all know that the Japanese eat seaweed but down here in South Wales they eat it too and here they call it lava bread it's long been a Welsh delicacy and lava bread is among the 20 products who already have the PGI Mark others include Welsh lamb and beef it's argued that it'll help with trade reaching new markets not just this one the list of products has been growing this is pen cloud both lava bread it's been protected for some time now the idea is that it boosts the brand but also helps to preserve the traditional way that was made C Tavy is one of only three producers of PGI cili cheese at their Farm in ceredigion Cil cheese was named after the town where it was sold but it's always been made in farmhouses right across Wales the protected status applies strict rules to how the products are made and keeps Traditions alive in France certainly the pgis make a huge difference and I think that there are so many varieties of cheese still alive there because of the protection there's plenty to celebrate about our rich food and drink Traditions The Producers hope their businesses can also cash in on their special status