Biodynamic and organic tillage farmers are at the very heart of the commitment to re-boot an interest in heritage barley varieties, according to Waterford Distillery.
A total of four barleys with a history that spans the period from the 1950s back to the last years of the 19th century, have been multiplied-up to produce a series of single malt heritage whiskies.
Their names reflect the grain varieties from which they are derived.
Head brewer at Waterford Distillery, Neil Conway, explained that the heritage barley varieties used to develop the new whiskies had been soured from the seed collections hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) at Backweston Farm in Co. Dublin.
“We started out with 25g of each variety. These were initially multiplied up in greenhouses.
“After that, the project was taken forward to trial plots, where modern production systems were employed in growing the crops.
“This approach was necessary to ensure that we could get enough seed, so as to ensure that the individual varieties could be grown on a commercial basis,” Conway said.
But once this stage was reached, it soon became evident that the heritage barleys could be grown most effectively by organic and biodynamic tillage farmers.
“This reflects then genetic make-up of the varieties,” the head brewer added.
Heritage barley varieties
The four heritage varieties selected by Waterford Distillery for commercial development are: Hunter, Goldthorpe, Old Irish and Spratt Archer.
While almost all modern malting barley varieties are spring sown, Conway has confirmed that the scope to grow at least one of the heritage varieties as a winter option exists.
“A crop of Hunter will be sown out over the coming weeks. By managing the variety as a winter barley option, the scope to further increase its yield potential exists,” he said.
Conway has also confirmed that heritage barleys would fail almost every quality standard set for their modern counterparts.
“But this is not the point. Our aim is to provide those drinking our heritage whiskies with an authentic experience,” Conway added.
This week has seen Waterford Distillery launch a new offering within in its Heritage barley series: Heritage: Goldthorpe.
The limited release of 4,000 bottles marks the first time that the barley variety – Goldthorpe – has been used for drinks production purposes in over 100 years.
“Market demand for the heritage whiskies will determine the future utilisation of barley varieties that have their origins going back over many decades,” Conway said.