Waterford’s Single Farm Origin sequence is billed by the distillery as an “uber-provenance” vary of single malts. Once we first explored them again in 2020, they weren’t precisely uber, however their distinctive qualities had been plain (whether or not terroir-driven or not). Since then, there have been so many of those Single Farm releases, we actually haven’t been capable of sustain. Not too long ago, Waterford added two peated choices to the lineup, which, whereas nonetheless technically single farm, sit contained in the portfolio’s much more uber Arcadian Collection, apparently owing to their distinctive malting. All of it will get a bit complicated. We’ll allow them to clarify.
Peated: Fenniscourt, together with its sister bottling Peated: Ballybannon, represents the primary marriage of Irish barley and Irish peat in generations. Arcadian Barley, from our secret backyard of delights, explores the pure flavours, depth & honesty of outdated methods. This identical subtle aroma cloaked barley dried over peat smoke by illicit distillers, a customized that died out within the 1850s.
The plush, inland terroir of Fenniscourt in Co. Carlow has been farmed by the Byrne household since 1870, its wealthy Elton Collection soils nourished by the River Barrow. For this whisky, their barley was kiln-dried throughout malting by warmth generated from sphagnum-rich peat from Niall Carroll’s cuttings at Ballyteige, Co. Kildare. The terroir’s character suited a medium peating depth of 37ppm. Cask Composition: 33% First Fill U.S., 18% Virgin U.S., 20% Premium French, 29% Vin Doux Naturel.
Ballybannon in Co. Carlow may very well be the right terroir for rising barley for peating. Sitting on raised floor alongside the banks of the River Barrow, its heavy, lime-rich soils — archetypal Elton sequence — are instantly adjoining to sphagnum-dense inland lavatory. Small marvel then that the Pender household’s barley and peat from Niall Carroll’s Ballyteige cuttings in Co. Kildare have confirmed such a pure mixture. Such is Ballybannon barley’s pure affinity for peat, that we’ve been capable of kiln-dry it to a excessive 48ppm and nonetheless discover that the character of Ballybannon’s terroir itself stays the dominant flavour within the spirit. Cask Composition: 38% First Fill U.S., 21% Virgin U.S., 30% Premium French, 11% Vin Doux Naturel.
Acquired all that? Let’s dig in.
Waterford Peated: Fenniscourt 1.1 – The aroma is initially fairly earthy and a bit natural with notes of Play-Doh, moist soil, dewey grass, and dried rosemary. The smoke, delicate and aromatic, evokes a mesquite wooden fireplace, freshly laid. Because it opens, notes of lemon peel, apple chips, and cream cheese frosting give issues a surprisingly candy dimension. On the palate, that sweetness conveys with notes of stewed orchard fruits, allspice, treacle, and honey candies. A gentle, ashy factor develops on the mid palate, not fairly smoke however one thing singed, earlier than giving method to torched citrus and darkish cocktail cherry. The medium-length end sees the fruity parts dissolve into biscuits and moist earth. For a younger, peated single malt, there’s loads to understand right here. 100 proof. A- / $100
Waterford Peated: Ballybannon 1.1 – On the nostril, Ballybannon (which is sort of enjoyable to say) presents a extra classically peated expertise than Fenniscourt with notes of salty sea spray and a smoldering seashore campfire after a barbecue. A little bit of cookie butter and lemon curd supply up some contrasting sweetness. The palate hits with an oily, peaty punch on the outset that coats the mouth, however issues obtain a decent steadiness moderately rapidly with candy, buttery notes of apple pie and almond tart providing a pleasant distinction to savory child again ribs and cigar smoke. The end is warming with a candy flourish of treacle alongside black pepper and a protracted, lingering ashy be aware. 100 proof. B+ / $100
Waterford Peated: Fenniscourt 1.1
$100
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