Are you curious about the origins of Whisky's natural flavour?

Enter your email address for articles & updates - & to hear about new Waterford Whiskies.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF MATURATION. BY ENTERING YOU NOT ONLY ACCEPT OUR INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE, BUT ALSO
THE USE OF COOKIES & INFORMATION COLLECTION TO ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Are you legally old enough
(and sufficiently curious)
to enjoy terroir-driven whisky?

HEADLINE FACTS

TITLE CUVÉE: ARGOT
MATURATION 1134 DAYS OR 3 YEARS, 1 MONTH AND 8 DAYS (Youngest Single Farm Origin Component)
ASSEMBLAGE DATE 07 JULY 2022
Bottled 17 FEB 2023
ABV 47%
For Market Worldwide
No. OF BOTTLES 25,000 (first batch)
Component Single Farm Origins 14

Cuvée: Argot

A SELECTION OF ITS COMPONENT SINGLE FARM ORIGINS

Argot, a patois, the underground language of bohemians & renegades. An idiom for the underworld, a secret tongue reserved for only those in the know. A vibrant, enthusiastic, devil-may-care cuvée, bringing together several Single Farm Origins layered for beguiling complexity — & with a mere Will o’ the Wisp of Irish peat — Cuvée: Argot is our wild child.

OUR CUVÉE CONCEPT

Inspired by Bordeaux’s greatest chateaux, the Cuvée Concept is the apogee of our radical, novel philosophy. By harvesting, distilling and maturing Irish barley farm by farm — each expressing its own distinct terroir-derived flavour profile — an unprecedented flavour library is achieved. By drawing on these building blocks, Head Distiller Ned Gahan can bring them together, layer by layer, to create the ultimate in complexity — where the whole is greater than simply the sum of the parts.

Cuvée: Argot is the exuberant little brother to the distillery’s flagship bottling The Cuvée. Inspired by Bordeaux once again, if The Cuvée is our Grand Vin, Cuvée: Argot is our Second Vin — our second wine — revelling in the same remarkable complexity, ground-breaking distillation & revolutionary transparency & traceability, but with a little less élevage in oak for freshness, vibrancy and drinkability.

THE GROWERS

BARLEY VARIETIES

Explaining our Cuvée Concept

Though Cuvée: Argot is a new way to experience our Cuvée Concept, this film explains the idea – the rationale – behind what we are searching for with these bottlings, where individual Single Farm Origins are layered together for complexity. Where the whole is greater than simply the sum of its parts.

The Sounds of Our Production Process

A cuvée is comprised of numerous Single Farm Origins, each of which are distilled in precisely the same manner through our distillery. This track starts outside the Facilitator's doors. We hang around a while before heading inside, to follow some of the processes through the distillery… the Mash Filter and panels resetting, then through the Washback area as a vent opens relieving pressure from the system. The Spirit Still release valve opens and the lees drop away to drain as the Wash Still begins filling – then the Still hatch is closed. We go inside the Spirit Safe as the Stills heat up and pressure gurgles through the system before the spirit starts to flow through freely. We finish off our tour of the Facilitator on the balcony that overlooks the distillery, where all the sounds from the different areas merge together. Back outside, we head along the River Suir through Waterford, where the riverbed bubbles at low tide, and gulls fly overhead. From here we move out towards our warehouses at Ballygarran, which allows the sea breezes through its vents, then high upon the clifftops overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

YEAST & WATER

FERMENTATION TIME 138 HOURS (Average Per Single Farm Origin)
Production water Volcanic Aquifer

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance:  Light honey yellow with oils that meander down the glass.

Nose: Orange peel, almonds, stewed apple, bread crust, green foliage, mixed berries, fennel, white chocolate, red toffee apple, barn yard.

Taste: White pepper, bell peppers, granola, grapefruit, smokey barbecue, banana milkshake, green apple skin, chewable, clove rock, barley sugar, vine tomatoes.

Finish: Dry pepperiness with barley sugar and gentle warmth.

cask no. cask type cask fill cooperage fill date farm
51 French 222.11 Mouton Rothschild 11 March 2016 Tinryland
213 Vin Doux Naturel 224.35 Rivesaltes 22 February 2016 Park
215 Vin Doux Naturel 223.68 Rivesaltes 22 February 2016 Park
433 US Virgin 198.92 Seagrams 22 February 2016 Park
435 US Virgin 198.52 Seagrams 22 February 2016 Park
436 US Virgin 198.32 Seagrams 22 February 2016 Park
437 US Virgin 199.96 Seagrams 22 February 2016 Park
438 US Virgin 197.52 Seagrams 22 February 2016 Park
1128 US Virgin 202.94 Jim Beam 11 March 2016 Tinryland
1129 US Virgin 198.25 Jim Beam 11 March 2016 Tinryland
1130 US Virgin 199.93 Jim Beam 11 March 2016 Tinryland
3130 French 225.3 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
3410 French 225.03 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1 June 2017 Hilltown
3411 French 224.03 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1 June 2017 Hilltown
4745 French 223.03 Margaux 14 September 2017 Park
4746 French 231.49 Margaux 14 July 2017 Park
4900 French 227.39 Margaux 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
5086 US Virgin 201.46 Speyside 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
5087 US Virgin 201.57 Speyside 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
6094 Vin Doux Naturel 216.04 Marsala 1 June 2017 Hilltown
6152 French 226.42 Margaux 8 May 2017 Garryduff
6214 French 224.89 Mouton Rothschild 23 January 2018 Tinryland
6215 French 219.18 Mouton Rothschild 23 January 2018 Tinryland
6216 French 226.34 Mouton Rothschild 1 January 2018 Tinryland
6267 French 224.21 Margaux 29 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
7511 US Virgin 196.01 Kelvin 8 May 2017 Garryduff
7513 US Virgin 198.69 Kelvin 8 May 2017 Garryduff
7635 US First Fill 196.39 Jim Beam 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
7636 US Virgin 197.62 Jim Beam 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
7637 US First Fill 200 Jim Beam 24 January 2017 Ballykelly
8064 US Virgin 205.21 Kelvin 1 June 2017 Hilltown
8066 US Virgin 206.47 Kelvin 1 June 2017 Hilltown
8067 US Virgin 199.5 Kelvin 1 June 2017 Hilltown
8892 Vin Doux Naturel 225.02 Rivesaltes 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
8908 Vin Doux Naturel 222.76 Rivesaltes 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
8996 US Virgin 199.73 Kelvin 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
8997 US Virgin 201.21 Kelvin 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
9786 US First Fill 191.76 Heaven Hill 8 May 2017 Garryduff
9787 US First Fill 196.16 Heaven Hill 8 May 2017 Garryduff
9790 US First Fill 201.08 Heaven Hill 8 May 2017 Garryduff
9791 US First Fill 191.26 Heaven Hill 8 May 2017 Garryduff
10071 French 219.84 Chateau Leoville 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
10413 US First Fill 188.9 Four Roses 1 June 2017 Hilltown
10414 US First Fill 196.31 Four Roses 1 June 2017 Hilltown
10415 US First Fill 198.53 Four Roses 1 June 2017 Hilltown
10823 US First Fill 197.21 Heaven Hill 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
10824 US First Fill 200.14 Heaven Hill 7 July 2017 Wheelagrower
11120 French 217.55 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 14 June 2018 Wheelagrower
11751 US First Fill 202.71 Heaven Hill 29 September 2017 Park
11752 US First Fill 202.11 Heaven Hill 29 September 2017 Park
11753 US First Fill 200.27 Heaven Hill 29 September 2017 Park
11754 US First Fill 196.71 Heaven Hill 29 September 2017 Park Carlow
12323 Vin Doux Naturel 225.52 Sauturen 20 September 2018 Fenniscourt
12578 US Virgin 204.65 Speyside 23 January 2018 Tinryland
12579 US Virgin 203.23 Speyside 23 June 2018 Tinryland
12671 French 216.55 Chateau Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12691 French 219.61 Chateau Palmer 4 June 2018 Hilltown
12692 French 215.78 Chateau Palmer 4 June 2018 Hilltown
13382 US Virgin 205.25 Kelvin 14 July 2017 Park
13698 Vin Doux Naturel 599.28 Port 14 September 2017 Park
14164 US First Fill 197.44 Jim Beam 23 January 2018 Tinryland
14165 US First Fill 196.55 Jim Beam 1 January 2018 Tinryland
14166 US First Fill 196.01 Jim Beam 23 January 2018 Tinryland
14576 Vin Doux Naturel 487.51 Amarone 28 June 2018 Wheelagrower
14608 Vin Doux Naturel 221.71 Port 18 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
14609 Vin Doux Naturel 221.63 Port 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
14610 Vin Doux Naturel 221.96 Port 9 March 2018 Ballykelly
14611 Vin Doux Naturel 219.41 Port 9 March 2018 Ballykelly
15114 US Virgin 201.56 Kelvin Cooperage 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
15567 US First Fill 192.59 Jim Beam 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
15569 US First Fill 195.88 Jim Beam 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
15570 US First Fill 195.9 Jim Beam 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
15572 US First Fill 197.39 Jim Beam 9 March 2018 Meadow Lodge Farm
16268 US Virgin 199.82 Kelvin 4 June 2018 Hilltown
16269 US Virgin 199.13 Kelvin 4 June 2018 Hilltown
16394 US Virgin 202.66 Kelvin 14 June 2018 Wheelagrower
16619 Vin Doux Naturel 226.38 Rivesaltes 10 May 2018 Hilltown
16620 Vin Doux Naturel 218.27 Rivesaltes 10 May 2018 Hilltown
16622 Vin Doux Naturel 218.91 Rivesaltes 10 May 2018 Hilltown
16623 Vin Doux Naturel 220.06 Rivesaltes 10 May 2018 Hilltown
16917 US First Fill 187.76 Makers Mark 10 May 2016 Hilltown
16917 US First Fill 187.76 Makers Mark 10 May 2016 Hilltown
16918 US First Fill 190.15 Makers Mark 10 May 2016 Hilltown
16919 US First Fill 188.91 Makers Mark 10 May 2016 Hilltown
17265 US First Fill 194 Barton 1792 14 June 2016 Wheelagrower
17266 US First Fill 194.99 Barton 1792 14 June 2016 Wheelagrower
17267 US First Fill 189.74 Barton 1792 4 June 2016 Wheelagrower
18207 US Virgin 196.94 Kelvin 20 September 2018 Fenniscourt
19556 US First Fill 200.91 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
Storage Ballyroe Farm Assemblage Various - 24 Casks Various 25 March 2021 Ballyroe
Storage Owenduff Farm Assemblage Various - 7 Casks Various 21 September 2021 Owenduff
Storage Hearth assemblage Various - 66 Casks Various 7 September 2021 Various
Storage Dunmore Farm Assemblage Various - 35 Casks Various 14 September 2020 Dunmore
Storage Dunbell Farm Assemblage Various - 17 Casks Various 14 September 2020 Dunbell
Storage Rathclogh Farm Assemblage Various - 35 Casks Various 14 September 2020 Rathclogh

Composition

FIRST FILL U.S 37%
VIRGIN U.S 19%
PREMIUM FRENCH 21%
VIN DOUX NATUREL 23%