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Single Farm Origin

Rathclogh

Key Facts

EDITION1.1
HARVESTED21 AUGUST 2015
DISTILLEDWEEK 26 2016
Maturation 3 years 11 months 26 days
ABV50%
No. of Bottles13,000
For Market U.S.A.
BottledAugust 2020

RATHCLOGH, CO. KILKENNY

The strategic importance of Ráthchloch (stone fort), on the old Kilkenny to Waterford road, was equally appreciated by the Vikings adjacent Danesfort. The striking vantage point looks over Richard Raftice’s low lying land of quick-drying, shallow gravel soils deposited by ancient glacier meltwater ensuring it is an early sowing/ripening terroir.

The nearby Danesfort Castle (also called Dunfert) was built by James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde, in the late 14th century in what is known locally as the Castle Field. As well as buying Kilkenny Castle, he was responsible for the construction of Gowran Castle, County Kilkenny. As Governor and Lord Justice of Ireland, Ormonde instigated a series of conflicts with the MacMurroughs and the O’Byrne’s, obliging Richard II to sail for Ireland with an army of over 8,000 men, the largest force brought to the island in the late Middle Ages. Amongst Richard’s warriors was a young Henry of Bolingbroke, subsequently Henry IV. Ormonde, a loyal supporter of Richard II, entertained the king at Kilkenny Castle several times.  

The Raftice family has been farming near Danesfort since about 1966 when it was purchased by Richard’s parents James and Bríd. Here, James developed an interest in competitive ploughing and served on the committee of the Kilkenny Ploughing Association from 1969 to 1980. 

Growers

Grower
Farm
County
Type
Richard Raftice
Rathclough
Kilkenny
Conventional

The Sound of Rathclogh

This track starts out in the yard by the old farmhouse, on a very windy, but warm and sunny spring day. Crows are all around the yard and through the orchard at the back of the farm. Silage is being cut nearby and, as we leave the orchard heading out towards the fields, birds can be heard nestling in the nearby barn. The wind blows through the building; outside it gusts through the gates and railings before we head off down the track that leads out to fields. At this point there are trees either side; slowly the space opens up and we’re out into the tall winter barley that stirs in the wind.

BARLEY TIMELINES

SOWN20 March 2015
HARVESTED21 August 2015
Arrived at Cathedral22 August 2015
Went to Maltings19 May 2016
Arrived at Distillery8 June 2016
Fermentation Started22 June 2016
Distillation Started26 June 2016
Distillation Finished4 July 2016
Filled at Warehouse7 July 2016
Marriage of Casks2 July 2020
Sent for Bottling8 July 2020

TERROIR

FIELDS
SOIL
series Elton Association
type LUVISOL
description FINE LOAMY DRIFT, ELTON ASSOCIATION SOIL (ELTON, DUNBOYNE, HOWARDSTOWN, STRAFFAN, KILRUSH AND RATHOWEN)
elevation 240-269 FEET
sunlight AVERAGE 5-5.5 hours

BARLEY, YEAST & WATER

VARIETYIRINA
YeastMauri Distiller's Yeast
Production WaterVolcanic Aquifer
Fermentation141 hours

TERROIR

Head Distiller's Observations

Appearance: A deep gold with oils and legs so slow that they make the turtle from the parable look like Usain Bolt.

Nose: Fields and barnyard, black pepper; hay that’s ready to be brought in; blackcurrant jam, warm vanilla, butterscotch, honeycomb, citrus zest.

Taste: Sweet stewed apple, berry compote, pepper, mince pie, black cherries, cocoa.

Finish: Has warmth with a gentle spice that drifts on with a little butterscotch.

cask no.
cask type
cask fill
cooperage
fill date
farm
4189
U.S. First Fill
191.89 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4190
U.S. First Fill
194.68 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4191
U.S. First Fill
192.73 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4192
U.S. First Fill
196.34 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4193
U.S. First Fill
195.13 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4194
U.S. First Fill
197.5 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4249
U.S. First Fill
195.12 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4250
U.S. First Fill
196.39 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4251
U.S. First Fill
194.23 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4252
U.S. First Fill
196.23 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4253
U.S. First Fill
192.9 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4254
U.S. First Fill
196.18 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4270
U.S. First Fill
198.6 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
4271
U.S. First Fill
197.5 litres
Speyside Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3500
U.S. Virgin
201.36 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3501
U.S. Virgin
201.53 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3502
U.S. Virgin
198.55 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3503
U.S. Virgin
199.1 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3504
U.S. Virgin
201.93 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3505
U.S. Virgin
200.89 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3506
U.S. Virgin
199.76 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3507
U.S. Virgin
198.15 litres
Kelvin Cooperage
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3003
Premium French
224.25
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3004
Premium French
225.06
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3005
Premium French
223.17
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3006
Premium French
224.07
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3007
Premium French
224.5
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3008
Premium French
225.89
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3009
Premium French
223.91
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
3010
Premium French
225.53
Tonnellerie des Domaines De CHATEAU LAFITE
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
671
Premium French
223.91
Taransaud
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
2634
Vin Doux Naturel
508.55
Sherry
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
2635
Vin Doux Naturel
512.05
Sherry
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
2636
Vin Doux Naturel
511.76
Sherry
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH
2637
Vin Doux Naturel
510.4
Sherry
7 July 2016
RATHCLOGH

Composition

FIRST FILL U.S
31%
VIRGIN U.S.
19%
PREMIUM FRENCH
25%
VIN DOUX NATUREL
25%

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