Birthday Drive Out to Penderyn Distillery and Sunday Lunch – 1st March 2026
A belated 35th Birthday event to celebrate our beloved Figgys and, of course, a good reason to meet up with old Figgy friends and make new ones.
After a gorgeous, bright day on Saturday, we were back to another dreary, grey day in the Welsh valleys. Still, nothing could dampen our enthusiasm for another drive out in our precious cars.
It was intended that we would all meet at Penderyn Distillery but what was intended to be a mini convoy of 2 Figgys ended up as a group of 6 driving together in the mist, mizzle and rain towards the Brecon Beacons, or Bannau Brycheiniog as it is now called. We arrived promptly at 10.30am to find 2 Figgys and their eager owners/passengers ready and waiting.
As it was also St David’s Day each couple was provided with a small gift pack of Welsh cakes I had made which were laced with Penderyn Madeira Finish Single Malt Whisky donated by Ian.
The tour began promptly at 11am and I noticed that there were more Welsh cakes on offer to the visitors courtesy of the Distillery. Ian and I having done the tour on a number of occasions opted out and were happy to do a little dog-sitting for Jacky and Malcom Pitt’s adorable family dachshund, Teddy.
The following details of the tour were kindly provided by Kate.
The tour was led by a lovely, bubbly guide named Lisa, who has worked for the Distillery for four years. She talked the group through the mind melting process from barley to alcohol to barrel. It was fascinating to hear about the very high standards that the Distillery keeps, and to see their double still, and the two single Faraday stills. Lisa told us how the first Faraday still had been designed by David Faraday as a PhD project. There were only two of them in existence at the time the Penderyn one was created, and the distilling jar (which probably has a more technical name than this) is the only one of its kind in the world. We needed to be very careful around that! Then Lisa 
explained how the alcohol was placed into oak casks to become whisky, and how the angels take their share (or some is lost to evaporation if you are less romantically minded!) The casks are all previously used for different alcohols, and their previous use determines what kind of whisky the alcohol becomes. Some are bourbon casks, some port, some madeira, and all kinds of different tastes. The group learnt that Penderyn Distillery is celebrating its 25th year this year, and releasing bottles from its first batch which will be for serious collectors only! Then it was on to the bar for a sample 
of the good stuff – two glasses for those who could partake at once, and a miniature to take away for the drivers.
While the tour took place Ian and I were approached by a lovely young couple while sitting in Jacky and Malcolm’s car with Teddy. The lady who runs the coffee truck in the car park had phoned her daughter to tell her a flock of Figgys had turned up and that she should get there as soon as possible. Apparently this young lady, Brogan, had only ever seen a Figgy on TV and 
once when one drove past her. She had never seen “a real one in the flesh” before. She was so excited to see 8 Figgys in a variety of colours – to use Kate’s phrase “pretty maids all in a row” – and was practically bouncing like Tigger. She is, apparently, desperate to buy a pink Figaro and asked all sorts of questions which we were, mainly, able to answer. We suggested she and her partner sit in our car so they could get a feel for the space. They were amazed at all the “mod cons”considering the age of the car.
We provided as much information and stories about different events as we could manage to recall and we believe she left even more enthusiastic and determined to buy a Figaro than when she arrived.
On completion of the tour we drove the very short distance from the Distillery to our lunch venue, The Red Lion, which is a lovely old pub with roaring log fires and in a beautiful setting – if only it had been bright enough to see the countryside and views.
We all enjoyed our meals and it was great to catch up with everyone and discuss all things Figgy and past/forthcoming events. It was also good to see photos from previous events, especially those showing all the fancy dress costumes. What an imaginative bunch the Figaro crowd can be.
We, collectively, decided that the weather was too dreary to take a drive around the various reservoirs in the area and to make our way home. Hopefully we’ll save this for another drive out.
I would like to thank everyone who attended from near and far. I am most grateful for your continued support.
Enjoy the videos from the day, and the gallery below.
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@nissanfigaroownersclub A belated 35th Birthday event to celebrate our beloved Figgies and, of course, a good reason to meet up with old Figgy friends and make new ones. It was intended that we would all meet at Penderyn Distillery but what was intended to be a mini convoy of 2 Figgies ended up as a group of 6 driving together in the mist, mizzle and rain towards the Brecon Beacons, or Bannau Brycheiniog as it is now called. We arrived promptly at 10.30am to find 2 Figgies and their eager owners/passengers ready and waiting. Find out more over on the website https://www.figaroownersclub.com/birthday-drive-out-to-penderyn-distillery-and-sunday-lunch-1st-march-2026/ nissanfigaro figaroownersclub beepbeep inspiration lovemyfigaro
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