Waterford Distillery's pioneering quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours, they now present to drinkers resurrected lost flavours from a bygone era.
Part of our Arcadian Farm Origin range which explores real rarity and the flavours derived from the old ways, Waterford Distillery's first Heritage bottling is made from a game-changing variety called Hunter.
Named after pioneering plant breeder Dr Herbert Hunter, it was introduced in 1959, and was for two decades lauded for its distinctive flavour. Modern distillers, obliged to use the yield-enhancing varieties, have been deprived of heritage flavours – flavours that evolved more naturally over centuries in harmony with Ireland’s terroirs.
Waterford Distillery have ventured back in time to rediscover Irish varieties, the natural flavours. They are introducing these rare, game-changing barleys to a new era of single malt connoisseurs.
Working alongside partners Minch Malt, and the Department of Agriculture, their Heritage distillations are a labour of love. Hunter had to be propagated from a 50 gram bag of seeds and upscaled over several years before there was enough to distil. Just 50 barrels were distilled from the first harvest.
Heritage barley is almost three times as expensive as modern varieties. This is not something to take lightly. Their 3 other different heritage varieties include: Goldthorpe (1900), Old Irish and Spratt-Archer.
Head Distiller Ned's Tasting Notes
Matured in a combination of:
45% first-fill US oak; 19% virgin US oak; 21% Premium French oak; 15% Vin Doux Naturel
Colour: Pale Gold with unctuous oils
Nose: Earthy, dry soil, lemon sherbert, red apple skin, dry bark, barnyard, petrichor, rolled barley, baked salt, chalk.
Taste: Orange cake, dry savoury spice, cloves, porridge with prunes, wood char, citrus oils. A dry, green finish wiht a gentle spice.
