Waterford Organic Gaia Edition 1.1

It’s like an Irish Scotch.. long Smokey finish

I’ve never seen any distiller that is obsessed with transparency as Waterford. These guys show everything from barley strain, when it was plowed, picked, malted…heck, maybe even what size shoes the tractor guy was wearing when he plowed the field. This obsession is a welcome change, along with it’s affordable price tag—-especially considering the highway robbery happening everywhere else. (Yes…I’m looking at these NAS MGP juices with cute backstories that are going for hundreds of dollars. ) This one here is just short of 4 yr of age, from 400-600 casks , aged in first-fill American (42%), virgin American (17%), premium French (23%), and vin doux naturel (18%). Aromas are grassy and fresh. Taste is creamy, barnyard-y, lemons. This is not Irish whiskey. It’s whiskey made in Ireland. As long as you don’t go in expecting something like Jameson or Bushmill, or even Redbreast, you won’t be disappointed. It’s young and a bit rough, but give it time…in a few years, it’ll get its elegance. For the price, and it being organic, you can’t go wrong…worth a buy. Mine was a sample provided by my buddy @Richard-ModernDrinking, but I will be a buyer as this gets a bit older and more refined. Thanks Richard for the sample

Absolutely putrid. There is an offensive, prominent fishy note, like anchovies, which I’ve never tasted in a dram before. I have 4 other waterford expressions to sample. If this runs through them, I don’t think I can ever drink anything from this distillery again, even if aged 18-21 years. Full on train wreck. It’s like a mediocre speyside with a fish head thrown in.

For the age of these whiskies, I'm impressed so far. I like the idea of terroir, but I can say that it makes it overly distinguishable. Reminds me of a very light scotch. Nose: Honey, cereal, ethanol, musty cedar (but not bad, I like it) Palate: Citrus fruit, honey, cereal, ethanol Finish: Sweetness fades into a slightly spicy bitterness Mouthfeel: Buttery like an oaky Chardonnay

N: honey, allspice, buttery pastry, springtime. P: creamy, mint, spicy, brown sugar, brine. F: woody & spicy. This is magical, surprising, and utterly delicious.

Vanilla and oily bananas and biscuits on the nose. Gives way to a sweet and peppery palate full of vanilla and a creamy mouthfeel. Which then becomes an almost spicy finish which doesn’t linger very long.

Butterscotch bomb! I get big caramel and butterscotch notes with Gaia. It’s a young whiskey, you have to let it breathe a long time. Wish they would get some more age on their whiskey, you can taste the youth but Gaia is the best so far in my opinion.