Country: Ireland Distillery: Waterford
Type: Single Malt
Age: 3
Cask: 1st fill ex-American whiskey, American Virgin Oak, French Oak, Vin Doux Naturel
ABV: 50.0%
Proof: 100.0
Price: $90
Teireoir Code: F014E01-01

Nose: Heather, spring flowers, damp earth, pears 

Palate: Malty sweetness, vanilla, tropical fruits, toasted oak, caramel, lemon, minerality at the back

Finish: Soft, nutmeg, lemon salt, ginger dryness

Writing about Waterford Whisky is a big matter. There is an overdose of details about the distillery, the production, the people behind it, the concept and everything else. That is why I have written an article to cover these topics and resolve to the reviews! If you don't know Waterford Distillery yet, stop and click this link, read and come back.

All Waterford Whisky reviews I wrote:

• Waterford Dunbell Edition 1.1
• Waterford Rathclogh Edition 1.1
• Waterford Dunmore Edition 1.1
• Waterford Ballykilcavan Edition 1.2
• Waterford Organic Gaia 1.1
• Waterford Ballymorgan Edition 1.1
• Waterford Bannow Island Edition 1.2
• Waterford Sheestown Edition 1.1

Waterford Bannow Island Edition 1.2 is another single farm origin whisky from the Irish distillery. Ed Harpur, who is growing the barley at Bannow Island farm that is used to make this whisky is one of the first 40 'Waterford growers'. (I just discovered that pronouncing 'grower' reminds me of Champagne and makes me crave for it)

Bannow Island is under the strong impact of coastal environment and conditions such as maritime winds and climate, possibly impacting underground waters.

The Ouverture barley harvested in 2015 from the fields was distilled in 2016 and bottled in 2020! For more information follow the Teireoir Code!

The fermentation time for the production is 136.2 hours this time. Ballymorgan Edition 1.1's fermentation time was 136 hours with the same barley type. With almost the same age, I will be able to see the impact of barley in a detailed way.

So What I Think?

As I will state in every review for this range, the whisky is young! Waterford Bannow Island Edition 1.2 is 3 years 10 months and 22 days old, which makes it a 3 year old whisky under current regulations. My main motivation during tasting these whiskies is to observe the impact of barley which were grown in different farms under different geographical and climate conditions.

Compared to Ballymorgan 1.1, Bannow Island 1.2 is a little bit muted on the nose with a younger feeling. There is certainly a little bit more heat on the nose with that 'craft distillery' feeling. Floral and heathery notes hit to my nose more with some cooked vegetable flavors developing in time.

The palate is oily with lemon and malty sweetness at first which also offers a touch of tropical fruits and pleasant with honey. The finish is dry with spices.

Aside from the barley type, barrels may also played some roles in different tasting notes.

When I look at the barrel composition of Ballymorgan 1.1 and Bannow Island 1.2, I could argue that the decline of French Oak and increase of VDN should have an impact on the tasting.