Q-Z

Part of the first ever releases of peated whisky made at the Waterford distillery, this new expression comes from the Ballybannon farm situated on the banks of the river Barrow in Co. Carlow. The barley used for this release was peated to 47ppm, seeing a return to the old practice of using the naturally occuring fuel source to dry the barley. The aroma is softly peaty, with a character of driftwood fire smoke, green apples and lavender honey. To taste, a peaty kick - BBQ'd fish by the sea, with warm apple tart and honeycomb (hokey pokey) ice cream.

Made from Irina barley grown by Seamus Duggan at his Lakefield farm, this new expression from Waterford is the latest addition to their Single Farm Origin whiskies. There is a signature of the distillery here, sweet and warm vanilla with bread baking, joined by buttery, creamy touches and apple. A clove-rich spice leads the palate, with yeasty proving bread and malt biscuits to taste, with the pepperyness giving way to melon and pear. Filled from a selection of first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, virgin oak and different types of ex-wine casks as well. An excellent new release from Waterford and one that shows the care and craft of this modern yet old-fashioned distillery.

The next edition of Waterford's Gaia whisky has arrived, bringing together six local farms producing certified organic Irish barley. Waterford's tracability is on full force here - the farms, barley varietals and more are carefully recorded to be shared with consumers as part of their Teiroir project. Head distiller Ned Gahan's tasting notes describe a vibrant and fresh aroma of orange peel, bread crusts and a medley of sweet scents from marshmallow to butter milk. To taste, there is a drying aspect of white pepper, toast and salted peanuts, with cherries and cocoa powder as well as a note of wine gums.

Waterford's Cuvee is the result of the distillery's project to produce whisky entirely from 25 single farms of locally grown barley. This whisky is distilled and matured individually, then married together in what founder Mark Reynier describes as the 'definitive expression' of Waterford. This has been a long-awaited release and we are delighted to have this iconic Irish whisky on the shelves. The head distillers observations are as follows.

Nose: Red apples, fresh dry soil, breadcrust, green foliage, lavender, digestive biscuits, oranges, barmbrack, over ripe banana skin, a summer flower bed, fresh mint, coffee cake.

Taste: Clove sweets, white pepper, oily, grapefruit, lemon zest, dark chocolate, dry toast, cherries, granola bar, dried herbs, aniseed, green olives, 3 peel marmalade.

Finish: Pepper up front with oily spiciness that softens, starts dry but then gets mouth-watering & lingers where I close my eyes and relax!

The Waterford distillery has reached back in to the history of whisky making in Ireland to produce this heavily peated whisky, made from locally grown barley at the Fenniscourt farm, and dried using local peat (38ppm). The peat reek leaves an unmistakable fragrant smokyness, and the spirit and wood surrounding this with tones of pear skin, malted biscuits and marzipan. A farmy quality comes through, alongside dry BBQ rub spices, bog myrtle and a cherry & gooseberry jam note.