Fenniscourt, Co. Carlow

Arcadian Barley, from our secret garden of delights, explores the 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. 

The lush, inland terroir of Fenniscourt in Co. Carlow has been farmed by the Byrne family since 1870, its rich Elton Series soils nourished by the River Barrow. For this whisky, their barley was kiln-dried during malting  by heat generated from sphagnum-rich peat from Niall Carroll’s cuttings at Ballyteige, Co. Kildare. The terroir’s character suited a medium peating intensity of 38ppm. Along with its sister bottling, Ballybannon, Peated Fenniscourt represents the first marriage of Irish barley and Irish peat in generations.

Appearance: Rich buttermilk with fabulous oils.

Nose: Turf (peat), saltiness, pear skin, woodland moss, hay, lemon skin, dried thyme, malted biscuits, marzipan, cooked banana, sweet floralness, wattle and daub, golden syrup.

Taste:  Farm tastes, dry rub that you would use on a barbecue, bog myrtle, clove sweets , leather, maraschino cherry, barley husks, gooseberry jam. 

Finish: Soft, earthy warmth, dry, finish in gentle waves.