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Distilling Now : Ed Harpur

Single Farm Origin

Hook Head

Key Facts

EDITION1.1
HARVESTED12 AUGUST 2015
DISTILLEDWEEK 06 2017
Maturation1364 DAYS or 3 YEARS, 8 MONTHS, 26 DAYS
ABV50%
No. of Bottles30,066
For Market Global
BottledFebruary 2021

Hook Head, CO. WEXFORD

The lighthouse at Hook Head stands resolute against the full force of the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland’s southern coast, 10 miles from the distillery – so close that Oliver Cromwell vowed to take Waterford ‘by hook or by crook’ in the 17th century. In its shadow, Martin Foley grows barley on clay/loam soils derived from limestone, belonging to the Elton series. Exposed to the full range of salt-laden storms, sea mists & ocean breezes, it’s an extreme maritime terroir.

Growers

Grower
Farm
County
Type
Martin Foley
Hook Head
Wexford
Conventional

The Sound of Hook Head

This track starts out in the open in a field of last year’s barley stalks, with Skylarks singing overhead & the sea in the near distance. We then move down towards the headland where a strong south westerly breeze comes ashore. Next we’re by a sheltered pool, where the sea surges up through a hole in the rocks. Then along to a beach below the fields where the sea drags the stones back & forth in the wash. We move west along the cliffs as the Atlantic crashes up on the rocks. Finally we finish up underneath the mighty Hook Head Lighthouse, one of the oldest working lighthouses in the world.

BARLEY TIMELINES

SOWN21 March 2015
HARVESTED12 August 2015
Arrived at Cathedral13 August 2015
Went to Maltings7 December 2016
Arrived at Distillery25 January 2017
Fermentation Started29 January 2017
Distillation Started3 February 2017
Distillation Finished10 February 2017
Filled at Warehouse15 February 2017
Marriage of Casks10 November 2020
Sent for Bottling14 February 2021

The Distillers

James EllicksonIan O'BrienPadraic PowerCian Dirrane

Ned & Megan Visit Hook Head

TERROIR

FIELDS
SOIL
series Elton Association
type LUVISOL
pdf Elton Association
description Fine loamy drift with limestones, Elton Association (Elton, Faoldroim, Musicfield, Mullabane, Straffan, Rathowen, Coolnaha, Cullahill, Ballinamore and Castlemoyle
elevation 25 - 40 FEET
sunlight AVERAGE 6 - 6.5 HOURS

BARLEY, YEAST & WATER

VARIETYPROPINO
YeastMauri Distiller's Yeast
Production WaterVolcanic Aquifer
Fermentation142 Hours

TERROIR

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance: Straw with legs of oils coating the glass.

Nose: Earthy maltiness & fresh soil, citrus peel, breadcrust, clove, white pepper, caramel, milk chocolate, salted popcorn, barnyard, oak green foliage.

Taste: It’s a spice bomb up front; with cloves, white pepper, salted caramel, liquorice, ginger biscuits, lemon zest, & chilli chocolate.

Finish: Dry, but it leaves a lasting oiliness that holds the spiciness for a long time.

cask no.
cask type
cask fill
cooperage
fill date
farm
7890
U.S. First Fill
194.82
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7891
U.S. First Fill
200.03
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7892
U.S. First Fill
199.59
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7893
U.S. First Fill
197.49
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7902
U.S. First Fill
204.88
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7903
U.S. First Fill
204.2
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7904
U.S. First Fill
200.94
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7905
U.S. First Fill
193.6
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7906
U.S. First Fill
197.7
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7907
U.S. First Fill
197.13
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7908
U.S. First Fill
192.26
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7909
U.S. First Fill
202.56
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7910
U.S. First Fill
194.31
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7911
U.S. First Fill
198.89
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7912
U.S. First Fill
200.75
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7913
U.S. First Fill
199.55
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7914
U.S. First Fill
193.14
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7915
U.S. First Fill
195.07
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7916
U.S. First Fill
194.66
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7917
U.S. First Fill
198.41
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7918
U.S. First Fill
192.32
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7919
U.S. First Fill
192.94
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7932
U.S. First Fill
194.88
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7933
U.S. First Fill
200.21
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7934
U.S. First Fill
194.13
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7935
U.S. First Fill
198.13
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7936
U.S. First Fill
196.93
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7937
U.S. First Fill
196.52
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7938
U.S. First Fill
199.94
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7939
U.S. First Fill
196.25
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7940
U.S. First Fill
201.17
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7941
U.S. First Fill
198.8
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7942
U.S. First Fill
193.45
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7943
U.S. First Fill
200.08
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7944
U.S. First Fill
202.54
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7945
U.S. First Fill
197.99
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7946
U.S. First Fill
195.74
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7947
U.S. First Fill
202.32
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7948
U.S. First Fill
197.64
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7949
U.S. First Fill
195.49
Heaven Hill
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5489
U.S. Virgin
198.35
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5490
U.S. Virgin
195.39
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5491
U.S. Virgin
197.57
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5492
U.S. Virgin
198
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5493
U.S. Virgin
199.56
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5494
U.S. Virgin
199.65
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5507
U.S. Virgin
196.72
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5511
U.S. Virgin
199.98
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5512
U.S. Virgin
200.55
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5513
U.S. Virgin
198.57
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5514
U.S. Virgin
195.43
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5515
U.S. Virgin
195.42
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5516
U.S. Virgin
195.22
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5517
U.S. Virgin
196.89
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5518
U.S. Virgin
199.97
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5525
U.S. Virgin
200.96
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5526
U.S. Virgin
198.55
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7977
U.S. Virgin
200.77
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7978
U.S. Virgin
202.99
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
7979
U.S. Virgin
206.67
Kelvin Cooperage
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
4623
French
224.84
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
4624
French
226.46
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
4625
French
227.26
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
4627
French
222.12
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
4628
French
224.25
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5989
French
224.52
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5990
French
224.41
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5978
French
226.18
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5984
French
222
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5988
French
225.99
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5991
French
220.99
Margaux
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
2959
Vin Doux Naturel
508.22
Sherry
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
2960
Vin Doux Naturel
507.34
Sherry
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5798
Vin Doux Naturel
222.6
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5799
Vin Doux Naturel
227.33
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5800
Vin Doux Naturel
224.1
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5854
Vin Doux Naturel
216.25
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5802
Vin Doux Naturel
219.54
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5803
Vin Doux Naturel
227.99
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5804
Vin Doux Naturel
229
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD
5805
Vin Doux Naturel
227.06
Marasla
15 February 2017
HOOK HEAD

Composition

FIRST FILL U.S.
46%
VIRGIN U.S.
22%
PREMIUM FRENCH
15%
VIN DOUX NATUREL
17%

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