Waterford Gaia 1.1
Whisky: Waterford Gaia 1.1
Country/Region: Ireland
ABV: 50%
Cask: First Fill Bourbon, New American Oak, French Oak, Vin Doux Naturel
Age: 4 Years (Distilled July 2016, Bottled Aug. 2020)
Nose: Cereal grains and refined sugars, citrus candies, grapefruit, subtle cardamon, pinewood and sawdust, undertones of earth and limestone.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily viscosity, passion fruit and citrus, guava candies, butter mochi, honey, cracked peppercorns, white pepper, spirited prickle, subtle pine, mint, and herbs waiting at the end with more pithy citrus.
Finish: Medium-length with citrus, refined sugar, and a touch of pepper.
Score: 5-6
Mental Image: Breakfast with a Cartoon Tiger
Narrative & Notes: The aroma was sweet and inviting, with sugar-coated American-style breakfast cereals— shredded wheat or corn flakes with a healthy sugar dusting. Citrus candies arrived with mango, lime zest, and grapefruit sorbet, followed by subtle notions of cardamon, rosemary, pinewood, and sawdust. An underlying earthiness appeared at times with chalk and dissolved limestone. The medium-bodied palate had a lovely oily viscosity and opened with crisp tropical fruits: passion fruit syrup, citrus zest, and guava candies. A sweet malty side developed with butter mochi, honey, and American breakfast cereals. The back featured a tingling spice alternating between peppercorns, white pepper, and a spirited prickle, while a mellow mint and pine waited at the very end with more pithy citrus. The finish was medium-length with citrus, refined sugar, and a touch of pepper.
My first review of a Waterford whisky! It has been a long time coming, and I have actually had this sample for a while. What better time to finally take the plunge than during an entire week dedicated to Irish whiskies? I thought this whisky showed much promise, and I love what the Waterford Distillery has done with single farm and barley varietal vintages. I found this whisky a tad on the young side, a bit more spirited than I particularly like, but the fruitiness of the profile and the underlying herbal quality seem to bode well for the future.
Overall, a great deal of exciting things are going on across the Irish whisky scene, and it is hard to miss the hype that Waterford has generated. I have yet to see the bottles appear in my local market. The US three-tier system is a constant source of frustration on the product distribution front. However, based on this sample, I would undoubtedly be tempted to revisit Waterford’s broader portfolio when the opportunity presents itself.
Image Credit: Glass Revolution Imports
