Waterford Distillery has launched 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 purposes in over 100 years.
Waterford Distillery is seeking to re-discover Irish whiskey’s most unique and complex flavours.
The process entails the use of different agricultural techniques and is centred on the distilling of single malts crafted from resurrected barley varieties.
Waterford Distillery
Goldthorpe first came about as a mutation in crop of barley at Goldthorpe in Yorkshire back in 1889.
It is a tall-strawed, wide-eared barley variety that in the first decade of the 1900s was subject to extensive field trials in Ireland. Goldthorpe was thought to have good yield and quality potential.
Characteristically at the time it was described as having a long straw, a long, drooping neck and large, rich yellow grains.
Driving the Waterford Whisky heritage project was the sourcing of an initial seed source, managed by the Department of Agriculture at Backweston, Co. Dublin.
Where Goldthorpe is concerned, an initial 25g seed sample were was then up-scaled to 40t of barley for malting purposes.
As a consequence, the project has taken several years for the quantity of grain to be viable for distillation.
The harvest 0f 2019 yielded 75t of Goldthorpe grain. Its subsequent distillation produced 34,000 bulk litres of whiskey, which is now stored in 16 casks.
Neil Conway, head Bbtigations into the terroir of Irish barley uncovered a flavour uniformity in modern strains, leading us to revive lost historical varieties for their rich, distinctive profiles.
“The passion driving our latest limited edition is rooted in a deep respect for tradition and a bold curiosity for innovation.
“By reviving the 19th-century Goldthorpe barley, we’re not just crafting whisky; we’re reviving a piece of agricultural heritage. Each bottle from this batch is a celebration of history, a tribute to the craft, and a gift to the future of whisky-making.”
Hunter is the other heritage whiskey that has been developed by Waterford Distillers up to this point. Crops harvested in 2018 and 2019 have been distilled up to this point.
Significantly, both of the heritage varieties have been distilled without the addition of any other grain source.