Description
About Waterford Single Farm Origin Rathclogh Edition 1.1 Irish Single Malt Whisky
Key Specs & Production
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Distillery / Series | Waterford Distillery — Single Farm Origin series. |
| Farm / Barley | Grown by Richard Raftice on “Rathclogh” farm, Kilkenny, Ireland. Soils are shallow gravel deposited by ancient glacier meltwater, low‑lying, quick‑draining, which helps early ripening & sowing. |
| Barley Variety | Irina barley. |
| Maturation / Casks | ~3 years, 11 months (just under four years) aged in multiple cask types: first‑fill American oak (≈31 %), virgin American oak (≈19 %), premium French oak (≈25 %), and Vin Dôux Naturel (fortified wine) barrels (≈25 %). |
| ABV / Bottling | Bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof). Non‑chill filtered, no coloring or additives. |
| Batch & Quantity | Edition 1.1, about 13,000 bottles released. |
| Teireoir Code | F016E01‑01 (this lets you see a lot of traceability: farm maps, barley, harvest, etc.). |
Tasting Profile
Here’s what reviewers and official notes report in terms of aroma, flavour, finish:
| Aspect | Notes / Impressions |
|---|---|
| Appearance (Colour, etc.) | Pale to medium gold; natural colour. |
| Nose (Aroma) | Fields & barnyard, hay, warm vanilla, butterscotch, black pepper, blackcurrant jam, citrus zest. Some reviewers also pick up dewy straw, earth/clay, green/grassy notes. |
| Palate | Malt forward; fruity sweetness (stewed apple, berries, black cherries, etc.), some dried/dark fruit, chocolate or cocoa‑notes, pepper/spice. There’s also a soft grain / green edge, some earthiness, sometimes a sour‑mash‑like note. |
| Finish | Warm, gently spicy; lingering butterscotch; some tannin and oak dryness in longer notes; the finish is moderate to long but some define it as having a “drying” or “sharp” wood‑driven tail. |
Strengths & What Makes It Special
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Terroir focus: By using barley from a single farm and giving you a “dirt code” (Teireoir), Waterford is giving you provenance in a way more often seen in wine than whisky. Good for people who like knowing where flavour comes from.
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Complexity despite youth: While under four years old, it uses a mix of casks (including fortified wine ones) which add layers of fruit, sweetness, and wood influence that help buffer the youthful edges.
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No additives, un‑coloured, non‑chill filtered: Many whisky drinkers value this as it tends to preserve flavour integrity.
Weaknesses / Things to Know
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Youth / raw edges: Because it is relatively young, some drinkers find parts of the palate or finish a bit green, spirity, or there’s a sharp oak dryness.
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Wood influence: The mix of virgin oak / first‑fill oak / fortified wine barrels means there’s quite a bit of “oak‑driven” flavour. For some, that makes the balance tilt more toward wood + spice than grain + malt.
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Price vs what some expect from age: Some reviews/consumers feel that given its youth, the price is high relative to older or more mature bottles with similar or better complexity.
Overall Impression & For whom it’s Good
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If you enjoy malt‑forward whiskies, with good transparency, and flavour layers (fruit, spice, oak, fortified wine influence), this is likely to be appealing. It’s especially interesting for people who like to explore “place” (soil, farm, barley variety) as part of the drinking experience.
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If you dislike harsh oak, very young spirit, or strong wood tannins, you might find some drawbacks (finish or rawness). It might benefit from a little bit of water or resting after pour to soften edges.
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As a sipper with conversation, for sharing, or in tastings, it brings a lot of talking points (provenance, barley, farm, casks etc.). But as a “daily dram” maybe a bit pricey / youthful for some.
Reviews
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