Waterford Voyages Extraordinaires

Voyages Extraordinaires is a Micro Cuvée produced by Waterford for the French market in 2021, bottled by La Maison du Whisky. The assemblage draws on four distinct barley varieties, Overture, Irina, Taberna and Propino, grown across 18 Irish farms. At its core is spirit from the Lakefield and Donoughmore farms together with the remainder of the Lómhar Cuvée, finished with spirit from a 225 litre cask previously used to age a Médoc Grand Cru at the Kilmeague farm. Only 1,000 bottles were produced. Every bottle carries the TÉIREOIR code linking to the individual farm, soil and cask records.

Maturation totalled just over three and a half years across four cask types: 45% premium French oak from Château Margaux barriques, 29% first fill American oak, 13% Vin Doux Naturel and 13% virgin American oak. The Château Margaux component is unusual in single malt. As premium Bordeaux first growth casks, they carry higher concentrations of anthocyanin derived fruit compounds and finer tannins than standard French oak. First fill Bourbon delivers vanillin and coconut lactones. Vin Doux Naturel adds oxidised fortified wine notes. Virgin American oak contributes toasted sugar and raw lignin spice. Bottled at 50% without chill filtration or added colour.