Waterford Hearth

Hearth is a winter seasonal release from Waterford, conceived by head distiller Ned Gahan as a Micro Cuvée designed for fireside drinking in the colder months. Drawn from single farm distillates held at the distillery's coastal warehouse at Ballygarran, the assemblage targets depth and warmth rather than Waterford's usual expression of individual terroir. Only 2,000 bottles were produced for the 2021 release. The TÉIREOIR code on the back label links to the specific farms and cask records behind the blend.

Maturation combined first fill American oak, French oak and Vin Doux Naturel casks. First fill Bourbon contributes vanillin and coconut lactones from the charred inner wood. French oak delivers a finer tannin structure and clove phenolics, drying the finish. The Vin Doux Naturel casks, previously holding fortified sweet wines from southern France, add oxidised fruit esters and concentrated sweetness. Bottled at 50% without chill filtration or added colour.

The nose opens with apricot, sultana and maple syrup over warm hay and sage. The palate turns spicy with white pepper, grapefruit, chilli flake and orange zest before a dry malty finish.