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TrueOutput

Sleeping giant Talking terroir, with Mark Reynier of Waterford Distillery

By Dan Griffiths growing regions of Ireland. The facility was constructed in 2004 by , to provide the Guinness On the bankside of the river Suir, on the outskirts of essence used in the production of the Waterford, Ireland, lies a remarkable distillery that is famous ‘black stuff’ worldwide. After production was relocated to St. James’ quietly preparing to make a few ripples, and perhaps some Gate in 2013 the site was mothballed waves, on the smooth of Irish – the absent until it was purchased by Reynier and his investors in 2014 for a reported ‘e’ being just the first small pebble dropped into the pool. €7.2 million, something of a bargain considering the quality of the facility, aterford Distillery is the latest became interested in the influence that and into which Diageo had ploughed Wproject of Mark Reynier, lately the soil, climate, air quality and the around £40 million. The purchase of Bruichladdich fame, and a continu- many other factors that contribute to of the facility included virtually the ing disruptive force in the world of terroir have upon the spirit produced. entire production plant, apart from the whisky. Now turning his attention to Entering distilling from the world, specialised roasters, which had Irish whisky, where his ambition is to this is perhaps not surprising, as the been shipped up to Dublin. fully realise the work that was begun importance here is well established. The site at Grattan Quay has in fact on – and to provide proof of the However, despite the success of been home to a brewery since 1792, significant role that terroir plays in Bruichladdich and its disruption of the when William Strangman built his whisky flavour. market, the full extent brewery here. Fascinatingly, much of Whilst at Bruichladdich, Reynier of the project was not to be realised on the Strangman plant still exists in the Islay. This was largely due to climatic old buildings on site in a museum-like and logistical complications, but Rey- state, including the old mash tuns nier also found difficulties in attempt- from Robert Morton and Co. of Burton, ing to alter traditional practices at the which date from 1900. pace that he would have liked. After the sale of Bruichladdich to Terroir Rémy Cointreau in 2012, Reynier found Terroir is of course at the heart of Wa- himself with the means and opportu- terford Distillery’s ethos. The premise nity to attempt a second realisation of might seem deceptively simple: take this vision. The location that presented the best quality barley from around 40 itself was doubly fortuitous, for not local farms and then keep that barely only did it represent a state-of-the-art separate right the way through the production facility, it was located in production process, whilst maintaining The main distillery building from inside the compound the centre of one of the finest barley- consistency in production to ensure that

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TrueOutput The purpose-built ‘Barley Cathedral’ in Kilkenny with just the 75 tonnes that makes up TrueOutput a batch from a single farm. Bulk handling is carried out in a separate Bringing in the harvest facility some distance from the main each batch is treated in the same way. ered to the site, and so the dedicated building prior to being passed through The one variable in the process is Alvan Blanch dryer is an essential item a cleaner and blown pneumatically to a then the barley, and the terroir in which of equipment here. Each farm pro- holding case outside the brewery prior it was grown. This should then present duces around 130 green tonnes, which to each brew in 9.5 tonne batches. itself in the glass. The execution of this becomes 100 tonnes after drying. Malt is ground to a fine grist using concept has, however, taken a great Malting is then carried out at Minch a Meura Hydromill, which mills the deal of planning, logistical wrangling, Malt in Athy, who has provided a dedicat- grain underwater to greatly aid in and precise data collection. ed stream for Waterford to ensure that hydration and eliminates the produc- “Provenance is king” at Waterford, the possibility of mixing between batches tion of dust. The 9.5 tonnes of malt and it is proud of the barley grown in this cannot occur. Malting is performed to are milled in around 90 minutes, and region of Ireland, and of the farms that Waterford’s precise specification without mashed into the conversion vessel at a produce it, including organic and biody- exogenous additions, such as gibberel- ratio of 2.5:1 to grain. namic farms. These cover 19 different lic acid. 75 tonnes of malt are produced Water is drawn from the distillery’s soil types and are located on a variety of from each batch, which is delivered own on-site well, which taps into a vol- aspects and micro-climates, contribut- directly to the distillery for production. canic aquifer. One of the original rea- ing to the unique flavour characteristics sons for Strangman constructing his that are displayed in the spirit. Wash production brewery here, the water is excellent for The details of the terroir are The production of spirit occurs at the brewing and requires no adjustments recorded in meticulous detail, as the ‘Facilitator’, as the old Guinness es- for pH or mineral composition. first stage in a comprehensive digital sence brewery has now been renamed The mash is held at 48°C for 60 fingerprint that will be available for – due to the state-of-the-art equipment minutes, rising to 65°C for a further each bottle of whisky produced. left behind by Diageo – which has ena- 60 minutes, after which a conversion The specifications required are bled Waterford to extract the maximum check is performed. If the mash has tough, however, and so each year not amount of flavour from its barley. converted, the temperature is increased all of these farms’ barley will make Malt is stored in three silos, each to 68°C for 25 minutes, or if not, is held it through to distilling at Waterford. with a capacity of 125 tonnes, but filled at 65°C until conversion is completed. However, by approaching the project as a collaboration between farm and distiller, Reynier hopes to enthuse the farmers and to produce ever more outstanding harvests. Inviting the farmers on this journey and getting their ‘buy in’ to the concept has been something that Reynier sees as a vital piece of the machinery. Being able to present a sample of new-make spirit to the farmer, from their own fields, is a very powerful gesture, allowing for a new and intimate connection to the land. Barley is stored near Kilkenny in the purpose built ‘Barley Cathedral’, which provides separate storage bins for each farm. Over a four week period, almost 4,000 green tonnes of barley is deliv- The dedicated on-site malt handling facility www.ibd.org.uk Brewer and Distiller International November 2017 z 39 l DISTILLERY

The Meura 2001 mash filter The two stills were acquired during The Meura Hydromill the Bruichladdich years, as part of a Mash separation is performed via job-lot of assorted equipment sourced a Meura 2001 mash filter, producing from the defunct Inverleven distillery. an average of 42,500 litres at a specific This Scottish lowland distillery existed, gravity of 1.067. As one would expect Russian doll like, inside the sprawling from a mash filter, efficiency is high, Dumbarton complex that was primarily being always over 95%. Two brews go dedicated to production. into each washback, taking a total of Constructed by Blairs of Glasgow eight hours each, with two brews per in 1972, the stills were built in the day and eight over the week. Speyside style, with long tapering The mash filter is a rarity amongst necks designed to give a light, fruity single producers, but Rey- and floral character to the spirit. nier believes this is one of the key factors Originally designed to produce single that enables him to extract the maximum malt for Ballantine’s blends, the spirit terroir contribution from the barley. produced apparently never found last- is cooled to 24°C on the way ing favour with the blenders – and by The store and propagation facilities to the washback and pitched with 1991 the distillery was mothballed. producing an average 6,600 litres of re-hydrated Pinnacle distillers yeast The stills had been earmarked for low- at 25% ABV when com- from AB Mauri. The temperature is use in a revival of Islay’s Port Charlotte bined with the foreshots and feints of allowed to free rise to 33°C, where it is distillery, but that was not to be, and in- the last spirit distillation. A low-wines held by the washbacks cooling jackets. stead the spirit still lay on the dockside, receiver collects two wash distilla- Primary fermentation lasts between while the wash still sat for many years tions for spirit distillation. 60-70 hours, with a further 70-100 as ornamentation outside Bruichlad- The 17,000-litre spirit still is hours for secondary fermentation. The dich. The stills were refurbished by charged with 11,600 litres at a time, wash has an average final gravity of Forsyths, which also managed their again allowing for increased copper 0.9995, resulting in an ABV of 8.5%. installation at Waterford and it is contact. An internal steam coil heats estimated that they should provide at automatically to 87°C after which the least 10 years’ service before a further steam flow is reduced and manual overhaul or replacement is required. control takes over. As the foreshots Resplendent on their high mount- come across, steam flow is no more ings, the two stills tower above visitors than 250l/hr. on entering the distillery and present The cut to the hearts is decided by an imposing reminder of heritage nosing and the steam is increased to amongst the ultra-modern high tech- a maximum of 450l/hr for collection. nology of the former brewery. When the feints are detected, the cut The wash still has a working capac- is made and the steam flow increased ity of 24,000 litres, and is heated via an to 1,600 l/hr. The spirit distillation lasts external heat exchanger, through which on average 10 hours, producing around the wash is recirculated. It is charged 1,540 litres of alcohol, with the new with 17,100 litres, about 71.5% capacity, make spirit being 71% ABV. at a time, which allows for greater cop- The new-make spirit is stored per contact and sulphur removal. for collection in the tanks previously Wash is pre-heated to 67°C on used for the recovered during the way to the still, and heats rapidly Guinness essence production, before under automatic control to 89°C. The transport to the cask racking and steam is then slowed and at 93°C warehousing facility. Current produc- View over the brewing department, with control is switched to manual to ad- tion runs at 1 million litres per year, mash conversion vessel at back right. In the just the flow to no more than 1000l/hr. however, this can be raised to 3 million foreground is the unused wort kettle A wash distillation lasts eight hours, per year, using the current stills. By

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The 1000hL washbacks and valve matrix The wash still during its time at Bruichladdich utilising the Sigmatec vacuum column mones and phenols is responsible for provide the substantive evidence to prove still, previously used to de-alcoholise the unmistakable scent of the sea. the importance of terroir, as part of a the Guinness essence, to produce grain Reynier believes these distinctive aro- ‘Terroir Proving Project’ being conducted whisky, capacity could even be as high mas can, over the years, work their way in collaboration with Cork University. as 8 million litres of alcohol per year. through the wood and into the maturing The hundreds of data points that whisky, with the cycles of heating and are collected should start to allow Wa- Maturation cooling allowing the casks to ‘breathe in’ terford to understand the contribution New-make spirit is transported by these distinctive aromas which are then to flavour of all these factors, and then tanker to purpose-built warehousing subtly infused in the spirit. Of course, the look at how they may be controlled to facilities in nearby Ballygarran, where quality of the terroir is just as important enhance certain aspects. The project is there will be four warehouses, each with here as it is in the barley field. still young, but some early indications a capacity for 7,500 casks, by the end of The cask population is made up suggest that sandy soils produce a the year. Built in the traditional style to of 50% ex-bourbon, 20% virgin US more floral character in the spirit. allow the passive circulation of the cool oak, 15% premium French oak and The results, when available, are sure sea breeze, Reynier is keen to stress the 15% Vins doux naturels, these being to be of interest to distillers worldwide importance he places on maturation in previously used for a range of fortified and may provide a fascinating insight proximity to the marine air. wines, such as port, , madeira into how barley-growing conditions Readers will be familiar with and marsala. The spirit from each manifest themselves in the final product. dimethylsulfide (DMS), but perhaps farm will be aged in exactly the same less aware that it is produced in vast combination of oak, maintaining the Early impressions quantities by marine plankton, and in control throughout the whole of the I was fortunate enough to sample combination with various algal phero- production process. some of the 2016 new-make and the The are no plans for ‘’ whisky in novel casks, with Waterford preferring to achieve the desired flavour profile from careful selection of wood up front. Reynier states that 25% of produc- tion costs are being spent on oak.

Data The element that binds the project together is data. On the surface, this might not seem worthy of much excite- ment, unless you’re collecting the duty, but at Waterford Distillery the key to the entire project is being able to dem- onstrate the provenance of its whisky in minute detail. The records kept are meticulous, with extensive documentation being produced for each farmer’s batch of grain as it is distilled. These records form the cornerstone of a digital finger- print that can be produced for each bot- tle, allowing the consumer to view data on the variety of barley, the farm and soil type, and production parameters. The stills mounted high above the distillery floor It is hoped that the data will also The 24,000 litre wash still www.ibd.org.uk Brewer and Distiller International November 2017 z 41 l DISTILLERY

The 17,000 litre spirit still and the Forsyths

TrueOutput Casks of maturing spirit at the Ballygarran warehouse demonstrated clearly the importance greater than the sum of its parts. The of the project. wood should not overpower the barley, or character from the fermentation. All Releases of the ‘elements’ have their own part When might we expect to see the first to play in producing the whisky, but releases from Waterford? On that I have should not be seen to be shouting out very little information, as Reynier would above all others. understandably not be drawn on a date. It is for this reason that we are “When it is ready?”, will just have to unlikely to see a peated malt whisky Arthur watches over the new-make spirit do for the time being – as being well from Waterford. Although there are maturing spirit, and was surprised by financed and clear in its vision of perfec- some truly excellent examples of such the differences between the individual tion, Waterford is under no pressure to a style, Reynier feels that this element farms. Nosing new-make from Thom- put out early releases to fill the coffers. would disrupt the harmony, overshad- as Fennelly’s barley against that of At present, Reynier and Co are owing the contribution of terroir. John & Pierce Cousins, the differences content to quietly build stock, distilling As the whisky develops, it will were profound. The former having 24/7, so that they may be properly pre- be released at the point of optimal deep and mellow notes with the latter pared. Learning from the Bruichlad- flavour, regardless of age, with the expressing bright citrus character. In dich experience, where demand vastly intention of producing, in Reynier’s this case there was a varietal differ- outstripped supply, they are deter- words: “The most profound single ence as well as soil type, so the factors mined to deliver on their promise, and malt whisky in the world.” are complex, but no less intriguing in have a healthy stock ready to release their possible application. when the time comes. Acknowledgements We also sampled a number of We might speculate that single Thanks to Mark Reynier, Distillery the smaller casks which form the farm releases will be a staple output, Manager Paul McCusker, Head Dis- reference library of each and every but again, the exact nature of these in tiller Ned Gahan, Head Brewer Neil batch distilled to date. None of the terms of maturity and cask type are Conway and Chief Engineer Anthony spirit could yet be called whisky, as not yet known. The aim is to produce Brazil for their time and assistance in the oldest was not yet two years old, a supremely balanced whisky that is producing this article. however, the maturity of some were remarkable. The differences between farms were evident once more, and

Nosing the new-make spirit. Extensive documentation is available for each batch The cask library used to monitor the developing spirit

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