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

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

Key Facts

EDITION 1.1
HARVESTED 8 AUGUST 2017
DISTILLED 17 SEPTEMBER 2018
Maturation 1346 DAYS OR 3 YEARS, 8 MONTHS, 7 DAYS
ppm 47
Peat source BALLYTEAGUE, CO. KILDARE
ABV 50%
No. of Bottles 11,088
For Market WORLDWIDE
Bottled AUGUST 2022

Grower information

GROWERFarmCountyTYPE
Tony PenderBallybannonCarlowConventional

Ballybannon, Co. Carlow

Arcadian Barley, from our secret garden of delights, explores the natural flavours, intensity & honesty of old ways. Out of necessity since the dawn of time, peat (or turf) has been the primary fuel source in rural Ireland, with its sweet pungency familiar to generations gathered around the hearths of ancient thatched cottages. This same diffused aroma cloaked barley dried over peat smoke by illicit distillers, a custom that died out in the 1850s.

Ballybannon in Co. Carlow could be the perfect terroir for growing barley for peating. Sitting on raised ground along the banks of the River Barrow, its heavy, lime-rich soils — archetypal Elton series — are directly adjacent to sphagnum-dense inland bog. Small wonder then that the Pender family’s barley and peat from Niall Carroll’s Ballyteige cuttings in Co. Kildare have proven such a natural combination. Such is Ballybannon barley’s natural affinity for peat, that we have been able to kiln-dry it to a high 47ppm and still find that the character of Ballybannon’s terroir itself remains the dominant flavour in the spirit. Along with its sister bottling, Fenniscourt, Peated Ballybannon represents the first marriage of Irish barley and Irish peat in generations.

The Sound of Ballybannon

An early summer’s evening at Ballybannon. This track begins at the edge of the farm, with the strong breeze blowing through the trees and the birds still busy about the place. We move along the edge of the field as the breeze settles down and find a stream running past into the west. Heading out into the open, the distant motorway is more apparent; but the peace is then interrupted as the last train from Kilkenny runs through on its way towards Waterford. The quiet returns as dusk approaches, the nearby shed creaking as it cools down after the day's sun; the birds settle in for the night.

Growing Season Weather

Days Sunny

26%

Days rain

21%

average temp.

21O

BARLEY TIMELINES

SOWN 15 March 2017
HARVESTED 8 August 2017
Arrived at Cathedral 9 August 2017
Went to Maltings 1 August 2018
Arrived at Distillery 6 September 2018
Fermentation Started 11 September 2016
Distillation Started 17 September 2018
Distillation Finished 25 September 2018
Filled at Warehouse 1 October 2018
Marriage of Casks 8 June 2022
Sent for Bottling 23 August 2022

Peat Smoke

Peat: the original flavour of Irish whisky (even if you spell it the other way). Watch our film, Peat Smoke, for the full story about the lengths we had to go in order to make enough Peated Waterford Whisky to share with the world.

TERROIR

FIELDS
SOIL

CREDIT: TEAGASC.

series Elton Association
type Luvisol
pdf Elton Association
description Fine Loamy Drift, Elton Association soils composed of (Elton, Kellistown, Baggotstown, Mylerstown, Ballylusky, NewInn, Cloonmore, Newtown and Greenane)

BARLEY, YEAST & WATER

VARIETY LAUREATE
Yeast Mauri Distiller's Yeast
Production Water Volcanic Aquifer
Fermentation 167 Hours

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance: Light gold with everlasting oils.

Nose: Soft peat, almonds, crisp, lavender honey, reminds me of a seaside escape, driftwood fire smoke, green apples, padrón peppers, salt crust, a morning walk on a fresh day.

Taste:  Peat kick, very chewable, BBQ fish by the sea, buttery, warm apple and almond tart with honeycomb ice cream, wool, frangipane, samphire.

Finish: What finish?!

WOOD

cask no. cask type cask fill cooperage fill date farm
12329 Vin Doux Naturel 220.65 Sauternes 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12330 Vin Doux Naturel 221.26 Sauternes 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12331 Vin Doux Naturel 217.92 Sauternes 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12669 Premium French 220.64 Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12673 Premium French 222.92 Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12681 Premium French 219.67 Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12682 Premium French 221.03 Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12685 Premium French 221.8 Palmer 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
12844 Premium French 226.41 Margaux 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
13224 Premium French 214.77 Margaux 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
13225 Premium French 220.66 Margaux 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
13226 Premium French 228.01 Margaux 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18224 U.S. Virgin 200.3 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18225 U.S. Virgin 197.76 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18226 U.S. Virgin 201.87 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18227 U.S. Virgin 199.17 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18228 U.S. Virgin 199.64 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18229 U.S. Virgin 195.21 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
18244 U.S. Virgin 199.02 Kelvin Cooperage 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19548 U.S. First Fill 193.24 Tennessee Dickel 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19557 U.S. First Fill 193.27 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19558 U.S. First Fill 198.14 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19559 U.S. First Fill 190.27 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19560 U.S. First Fill 195.47 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19561 U.S. First Fill 189.35 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19571 U.S. First Fill 192.76 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19598 U.S. First Fill 197.15 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19599 U.S. First Fill 190.67 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19600 U.S. First Fill 200.51 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19601 U.S. First Fill 194.13 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19602 U.S. First Fill 199.25 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon
19603 U.S. First Fill 194.06 Jack Daniels 1 October 2018 Ballybannon

Composition

38% FIRST FILL U.S
21% VIRGIN U.S.
30% PREMIUM FRENCH
11% VIN DOUX NATUREL