Waterford Distillery

Waterford Distillery, established in 2015 by Mark Reynier, is located in a converted Guinness brewery in the southeast of Ireland. The distillery focuses on producing single malt whisky with a deep connection to its terroir, emphasizing the unique flavors imparted by the local environment. Reynier, who previously revitalized Bruichladdich Distillery, brings his passion for terroir to Waterford, aiming to create the world’s most profound single malt whisky.

The distillery works with over 100 Irish farms, each contributing its unique barley. These farms practice a variety of agricultural methods, including organic and biodynamic farming. Waterford Distillery processes each farm’s barley separately, capturing the distinctive characteristics of each terroir. Their production methods include anaerobic milling, long fermentation times, and distillation in custom pot stills, which together enhance the complexity of the whisky.

Waterford produces several expressions, including the Single Farm Origin series and the Cuvée, which combines whiskies from multiple farms for added complexity. The distillery uses various cask types for maturation, including first-fill bourbon, French wine, and sweet wine casks, to create rich and diverse flavor profiles. Their approach highlights the importance of barley provenance and challenges traditional whisky production norms.