Shropshire Star

Raising the bar! Mike unveils whisky named after young prince

Retired IT specialist Mike Hardingham has unveiled his very own single malt whisky.

Published
Distiller Mike Hardingham with the newly released Young Prince Whisky

Mr Hardingham started Ludlow Distillery 10 years ago with a small pot still and has been busy experimenting ever since.

Finally, he said he has something he is happy with, and has released “Young Prince”, a lightly peated single malt whisky.

It has been described by one whisky enthusiast as “a very nice approachable whisky with a clean barley heart, slightest whiff of vanilla and smoke, ending with youthful rasp of spirit”.

It has been named after Edward V, the young prince of Wales, who was based in Ludlow Castle and mysteriously disappeared after being taken to the Tower of London, never having got a chance to grow up and taste the whisky of Wales.

Mr Hardingham said: “Why Young Prince? Back in the 15th century Ludlow was the administrative capital of Wales. Edward, the young prince of Wales, was based in Ludlow Castle. He was just 12 when his father died and, having become King Edward V, he was taken with his brother Richard, the Duke of York, to the Tower of London for safety.

“The young princes in the tower then mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Ludlow Distillery point outs, rather fancifully, that the young prince never got the chance to grow up and taste its whisky.”

Young Prince is available in Shrewsbury at Wrekin Whiskies, and in Ludlow at Bentley’s Wine Shop and Ludlow Farm Shop.