Waterford Distillery, known for producing some of the most naturally flavoursome single malts, has launched its newest flagship whisky: The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi. This release represents the distillery’s oldest and most complex creation to date, marking a significant milestone in their innovative approach to whisky making.
Inspiration and Crafting Process
Inspired by the techniques of Bordeaux châteaux and Champagne Grande Marques, The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi is crafted by blending 24 distinct Irish Single Farm Origins. Each farm’s barley, grown on individual terroirs in the south-east of Ireland, contributes to a whisky that is free from artificial colouring, additives, and chill-filtration. Bottled at a robust 50% ABV, this whisky is an assemblage of four distinct cask types: 36% First Fill American Oak, 17% Virgin American Oak, 21% Premium French Oak, and 26% Vin Doux Naturel.
This complex layering process, involving barley from farms each distilled separately, showcases Waterford’s terroir-driven philosophy. The inclusion of the TÉIREOIR code offers drinkers a transparent and traceable overview of the whisky’s journey from barley to bottle.
To complement the intricate flavours of The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi, French artist Nathanaël Koffi designed a striking label and packaging. The vibrant, multi-dimensional colours and patterns on the packaging reflect the whisky’s complexity, embodying the various component terroirs and cask profiles that make up the final assemblage.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Amber gold with thick oils that descend the glass slowly.
- Nose: A unique blend of red apple on homemade brown bread, three-peel marmalade, white pepper, mixed dry herbs, cola cubes, sherbet sweets, and light lavender in fresh soil.
- Taste: Spices dancing on the tongue, lemon and strawberry shortbread biscuits, black pepper, grapefruit, chilli chocolate, oyster crackers, barley sugar, summer fruit compote, and liquorice allsorts sweets.
- Finish: Long, dry, gentle spiciness that leads to mouth-watering with dried fruits, meandering on.
About Waterford Whisky
Waterford Whisky is the world’s largest producer of organic and biodynamic whiskies, committed to producing the most naturally flavoursome single malts. Influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Whisky brings intellectual rigour and methodology to barley – the core of malt whisky’s complex flavour. Their mission encompasses Single Farm Origins, Arcadian Farm Origins, and Cuvée Concepts, all pursuing the ultimate complexity where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Where To Buy
The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi is available now from waterfordwhisky.com
