Waterford Distillery has launched their latest bottling in their Heritage Barley Series, Heritage: Goldthorpe. It will be the first time the barley variety has been used in drinks production in over 100 years.

A limited release of 4,000 bottles of Heritage: Goldthorpe whiskey is available worldwide and is retailing at a price of around €131 or £110.

Waterford Distillery said the new single malt whiskey is the latest milestone in its journey to uncover whiskey’s most unique and complex flavours through different agricultural techniques.

Head brewer at the Waterford Distillery, Neil Conway said the limited-edition bottle is “is rooted in a deep respect for tradition and a bold curiosity for innovation.

“By reviving the 19th-century Goldthorpe barley, we're not just crafting whiskey; we're reviving a piece of agricultural heritage.”

History

Heritage: Goldthorpe was originally discovered in 1889 as a single, fortuitous mutation in a field but vanished from the agricultural landscape decades ago, to be replaced by higher-yielding barley varieties.

Working alongside Minch Maltings and the Irish Department for Agriculture, Food and Marine Waterford Distillery have spent the last three years upscaling the remaining 50 grams of Goldthorpe to create enough barley to sow the seeds in Irish fields.

“Each bottle from this batch is a celebration of history, a tribute to the craft, and a gift to the future of whisky-making,” added Conway.

Process

Heritage: Goldthorpe is bottled at 50% alcohol by volume (ABV).

This release was matured fully in a mixture of 40% first-fill US Oak, 24% Virgin US Oak, 18% Premium French Oak and 18% Vin Doux Naturel casks.

Waterford Distillery said the whiskey has aromas of lush vegetation, rich granola bar, berry compote, red apple, green tea, melon, roast beef gravy and prunes, with hints of sweet orchard fruits, apples and pears, cream, light spiciness, red berries, honey, cloves and raisins, giving the whiskey a long-dried fruit finish.