Ballykilcavan 1.2 is Waterford's tribute to single-farm-origin distilling — barley grown by David Walsh-Kemmis, a 13th-generation farmer working the same Laois land since 1639. The shallow, well-drained sandy loams over sandstone bedrock, sheltered by ancient woodland, give one of Ireland's most prized malting terroirs. 50% volume, non-chill-filtered, natural colour, limited to 9,000 bottles. MATURATION: distilled in 2016, matured for roughly four years in a curated mix of first-fill American oak (55%), French oak (22%) and vin doux naturel casks (22.5%), then bottled in July 2020. The cask trio adds weight and resinous texture without overshadowing the Laois barley character. SERVING: serve in a Glencairn at room temperature; a few drops of water unlock the soot, rhubarb and brown-bread minerality of the terroir. A natural pour after a beef or game course — or alongside a medium-bodied cigar where the trio's pepper kick balances the smoke. Best on its own; not built for cocktails.
Tasting notes
Pale, lightly burnished gold.
Fresh wet clay, brown bread and dried apricot, with a thread of vanilla in the background.
Oily, mouth-coating texture with barley grain, ripe apricot, runny caramel and a lively peppercorn kick. The palate is round and slightly resinous, with a gentle bitter note providing balance.
Medium to long finish, oily in texture, with crushed cinnamon and a suggestion of cocoa.
Waterford Distillery was founded in 2014 by Mark Reynier — former fine wine merchant, owner of a Burgundian Grand Cru vineyard and the architect of Bruichladdich's revival on Islay — within a former Guinness brewery built by Diageo in 2004, in Waterford, south-east Ireland. His founding conviction: terroir — the three-dimensional interaction of soil, subsoil, microclimate, altitude and orientation — is the primary source of whisky's flavour. To prove it, Waterford commissioned a scientific study with Oregon State University and the Irish Ministry of Agriculture, identifying over 2,000 aromatic compounds in whisky — 60% of them influenced by where the barley grows. The distillery works with more than 110 Irish farmers, distilling each harvest separately and traceably from field to bottle. No added colour, no additives, non-chill-filtered.
