Waterford Bannow Island: Edition 1.2

Bannow Island 1.2 is the second release from Ed Harpur's farm on the extreme southern coast of Co. Wexford, where salt laden Atlantic winds and sandy soils create a distinctive, if challenging, terroir. Bannow Island itself is no longer an island, connected to the mainland by centuries of silting, but the farm retains its coastal exposure and free draining sandy profile. The Overture barley variety was distilled in 2016 and the whiskey bottled in July 2020 with an outturn of 9,000 bottles, roughly three months older than the first edition. Every bottle carries the TÉIREOIR code linking to the specific field, soil analysis and cask records.

Maturation used four cask types: first fill American oak, virgin American oak, premium French oak and Oloroso. Waterford catalogues sherry casks within their Vin Doux Naturel category, though Oloroso is strictly a dry rather than sweet fortified wine. First fill Bourbon contributes vanillin and coconut lactones through the charred inner wood. Virgin American oak adds toasted sugar and raw lignin derived spice. French oak delivers finer grained tannins with clove phenolics. The Oloroso component contributes oxidative nutty character, dried fruit and a savoury depth distinct from the sweeter VDN profile typical of Waterford releases. Bottled at 50% without chill filtration or added colour.

The nose brings fresh fruit, malt, new wood and honey. The palate carries vanilla, citric brightness and a clean grain signature.