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Key Facts

GROWER David Walsh-Kemmis
FARM Ballykilcavan
EDITION 1.1
Harvested 17 August 2015
DISTILLED Week 8 2016
Maturation 3 years 11 months 18 Days
ABV 50%
No. of Bottles 8,640
For Market Europe & Asia
Bottled June 2020

BALLYKILCAVAN, CO. LAOIS

The townland of Ballykilcavan is situated in Co. Laois on what is considered one of the best terroirs to grow malting barley – well-drained sandy loams on a bed of limestone. The gently sloping fields are surrounded by picturesque ancient woodland, among Ireland’s finest and rich in native species, which acts as natural shelter for the barley. Over winter cattle graze the cover crops to keep alive microbial activity in the soil.

David Walsh-Kemmis’s ancestors have been here since 1639 when Oliver Walsh acquired the lands from Robert Hartpole of Shrule Castle. David, who briefly moved from the farm to seek a career in IT, was one of the “first 40” barley growers who took up the mantle of supplying barley for Waterford Distillery, back in 2015, and we have been distilling his barley ever since. In fact, his barley was our second ever single farm distillation in early 2016.

In 2016 we held our first Growers Gathering at the distillery, where each year our farmers congregate at the distillery and our trophy for Barley Grower of the Year is awarded. David was the first winner of this coveted trophy, which now sits proudly in his resplendent old farmhouse, from which can also see another winner – the champion black walnut tree in Ireland.

The Sound of Ballykilcavan

The track starts before dawn in the woods that runs alongside the recently harvested barley fields. It’s not raining, but there's a heavy fog and the condensation drips from the trees onto the floor of the woods. The eerie atmosphere stifles the dawn chorus, but as morning breaks, the sound of neighbouring farms and traffic starting to move comes in – along with the wind which picks up as the sun breaks through. We listen for a while before walking out into the open field.

BARLEY TIMELINES

SOWN 19 March 2015
HARVESTED 17 August 2015
Arrived at Cathedral 18 August 2015
Went for Malting 11 January 2016
Arrived at Distillery 26 January 2016
Fermentation started 4 February 2016
Distillation started 9 February 2016
Filled at warehouse 29 February 2016
Marriage of casks 5 February 2020
Sent for bottling 3 June 2020

Meet David Walsh-Kemmis

TERROIR

FIELDS
SOIL

Credit: Teagasc.

series ELTON ASSOCIATION
type Luvisol
pdf View
description Fine loamy drift, Elton Association soil (Elton, Faoildroim, Musicfield, Mullabane, Straffan, Rathowen, Coolnaha, Cullahill, Ballinamore and Castlemoyle).
elevation 253 FEET
sunlight AVERAGE 5-5.5 hours

BARLEY, YEAST & WATER

VARIETY TABERNA
Yeast Mauri Distiller's Yeast
Production water Volcanic Aquifer
Fermentation 150.5 Hours

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance: Light hay to honey, very oily.

Nose: Berries with fresh foliage, redcurrants, grapes, barnyard. Vibrant and again freshly cut grass.

Taste: Cooked bananas with brown sugar, and plenty of heat. Mulled wine and cinnamon. A dry, oily lasting finish.

CASKS

cask no. cask type cask fill cooperage fill date farm
549 U.S. First Fill 193.43 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
550 U.S. First Fill 196.95 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
551 U.S. First Fill 197.33 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
552 U.S. First Fill 195.37 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
553 U.S. First Fill 194.62 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
554 U.S. First Fill 196.91 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
530 U.S. First Fill 205.33 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
531 U.S. First Fill 188.92 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
532 U.S. First Fill 199.35 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
533 U.S. First Fill 204.29 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
534 U.S. First Fill 196.29 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
506 U.S. First Fill 193.79 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
507 U.S. First Fill 194.79 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
509 U.S. First Fill 201.2 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
534 U.S. First Fill 196.29 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
535 U.S. First Fill 194.97 litres Kelvin Cooperage, KY 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
819 Vin Doux Naturel 414.71 litres Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
820 Vin Doux Naturel 397.26 litres Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
821 Vin Doux Naturel 406.41 litres Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
30 Premium French 223.62 litres Seguin Moreau 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
31 Premium French 225.42 litres Bureau & Fr 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
32 Premium French 221.56 litres Bureau & Fr 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
33 Premium French 222.85 litres Nadalie 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
34 Premium French 224.9 litres Bureau & Fr 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
35 Premium French 222.95 litres Seguin Moreau 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
43 Premium French 227.33 litres Societe Nouvelle 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
64 Premium French 183.36 litres Seguin Moreau 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
40 Premium French 50 litres Seguin Moreau 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
619 Premium French 240.49 litres Tonnellerie Remond 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
625 Premium French 230.13 litres Saury 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan
631 Premium French 235.87 litres Darnajou 29 February 2016 Ballykilcavan

WOOD COMPOSITION

45% FIRST FILL U.S
- VIRGIN U.S. (Unavailable at the time)
37% PREMIUM FRENCH
18% VIN DOUX NATUREL