Are you curious about the origins of Whisky's natural flavour?

Enter your email address for articles & updates & to hear about new Waterford Whiskies.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF MATURATION. BY ENTERING YOU NOT ONLY ACCEPT OUR INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE, BUT ALSO
THE USE OF COOKIES & INFORMATION COLLECTION TO ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Are you legally old enough
(and sufficiently curious)
to enjoy terroir-driven whisky?

Single Farm Origin

BALLYKILCAVAN

Key Facts

EDITION1.1
Harvested17 August 2015
DISTILLEDWeek 8 2016
Maturation3 years 11 months 18 Days
ABV50%
No. of Bottles8,640
For MarketEurope & Asia
BottledJune 2020

BALLYKILCAVAN, CO. LAOIS

The townland of Ballykilcavan is situated in Co. Laois on what is considered one of the best terroirs to grow malting barley – well-drained sandy loams on a bed of limestone. The gently sloping fields are surrounded by picturesque ancient woodland, among Ireland’s finest and rich in native species, which acts as natural shelter for the barley. Over winter cattle graze the cover crops to keep alive microbial activity in the soil.

David Walsh-Kemmis’s ancestors have been here since 1639 when Oliver Walsh acquired the lands from Robert Hartpole of Shrule Castle. David, who briefly moved from the farm to seek a career in IT, was one of the “first 40” barley growers who took up the mantle of supplying barley for Waterford Distillery, back in 2015, and we have been distilling his barley ever since. In fact, his barley was our second ever single farm distillation in early 2016.

In 2016 we held our first Growers Gathering at the distillery, where each year our farmers congregate at the distillery and our trophy for Barley Grower of the Year is awarded. David was the first winner of this coveted trophy, which now sits proudly in his resplendent old farmhouse, from which can also see another winner – the champion black walnut tree in Ireland.

Growers

Grower
Farm
County
Type
David Walsh-Kemmis
Ballykilcavan
Offaly
Conventional

The Sound of Ballykilcavan

The track starts before dawn in the woods that runs alongside the recently harvested barley fields. It’s not raining, but there’s a heavy fog and the condensation drips from the trees onto the floor of the woods. The eerie atmosphere stifles the dawn chorus, but as morning breaks, the sound of neighbouring farms and traffic starting to move comes in – along with the wind which picks up as the sun breaks through. We listen for a while before walking out into the open field.

BARLEY TIMELINES

SOWN19 March 2015
HARVESTED17 August 2015
Arrived at Cathedral18 August 2015
Went for Malting11 January 2016
Arrived at Distillery26 January 2016
Fermentation started4 February 2016
Distillation started9 February 2016
Filled at warehouse29 February 2016
Marriage of casks5 February 2020
Sent for bottling3 June 2020

Meet David Walsh-Kemmis

TERROIR

FIELDS
SOIL

Credit: Teagasc.

series ELTON ASSOCIATION
type Luvisol
pdf View
description Fine loamy drift, Elton Association soil (Elton, Faoildroim, Musicfield, Mullabane, Straffan, Rathowen, Coolnaha, Cullahill, Ballinamore and Castlemoyle).
elevation 253 FEET
sunlight AVERAGE 5-5.5 hours

BARLEY, YEAST & WATER

VARIETYTABERNA
YeastMauri Distiller's Yeast
Production waterVolcanic Aquifer
Fermentation150.5 Hours

TERROIR

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance: Light hay to honey, very oily.

Nose: Berries with fresh foliage, redcurrants, grapes, barnyard. Vibrant and again freshly cut grass.

Taste: Cooked bananas with brown sugar, and plenty of heat. Mulled wine and cinnamon. A dry, oily lasting finish.

cask no.
cask type
cask fill
cooperage
fill date
farm
549
U.S. First Fill
193.43 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
550
U.S. First Fill
196.95 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
551
U.S. First Fill
197.33 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
552
U.S. First Fill
195.37 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
553
U.S. First Fill
194.62 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
554
U.S. First Fill
196.91 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
530
U.S. First Fill
205.33 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
531
U.S. First Fill
188.92 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
532
U.S. First Fill
199.35 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
533
U.S. First Fill
204.29 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
534
U.S. First Fill
196.29 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
506
U.S. First Fill
193.79 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
507
U.S. First Fill
194.79 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
509
U.S. First Fill
201.2 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
534
U.S. First Fill
196.29 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
535
U.S. First Fill
194.97 litres
Kelvin Cooperage, KY
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
819
Vin Doux Naturel
414.71 litres
Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
820
Vin Doux Naturel
397.26 litres
Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
821
Vin Doux Naturel
406.41 litres
Tonnellerie d'Aquitaine, France
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
30
Premium French
223.62 litres
Seguin Moreau
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
31
Premium French
225.42 litres
Bureau & Fr
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
32
Premium French
221.56 litres
Bureau & Fr
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
33
Premium French
222.85 litres
Nadalie
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
34
Premium French
224.9 litres
Bureau & Fr
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
35
Premium French
222.95 litres
Seguin Moreau
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
43
Premium French
227.33 litres
Societe Nouvelle
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
64
Premium French
183.36 litres
Seguin Moreau
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
40
Premium French
50 litres
Seguin Moreau
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
619
Premium French
240.49 litres
Tonnellerie Remond
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
625
Premium French
230.13 litres
Saury
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
631
Premium French
235.87 litres
Darnajou
29 February 2016
Ballykilcavan
WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.