Nose: Fragrantly floral and earthy barley - so pure and elegant it makes me want to shout its praises out loud from the rooftops in sheer joy. When first poured it is aloof and crisp but with a little time it blossoms in the most magnificent manner. Bouquet garni made from the finest fresh herbs, warm croissants, sweet pear and lemon liqueur all drenched in succulent barley oils. There is even a mild briny seaweed-like note reminiscent of Ardbeg (but no actual smoke, of course). This is a stunning nose. 93/100 Palate: Oily and richly textured, this is a glorious tapestry of barley notes with currents, light fruitcake dusted with powdered sugar, gingerbread, marmalade, limoncello, and a pantry full of subtle baking spices. As it develops it gains flavours of berries and black cherry compote, Assam tea and an elegant Himalayan salt salinity. 90/100 Finish: Long. Currants, dried cranberries, lemon liqueur, pear eau-de-vie, salted caramel, toasted fruit bread and sweetened black tea. 90/100 This whisky was created using Hunter heirloom barley, a strain that was resurrected through Mark Reynier’s efforts and if ever you needed proof that modern barley hybrids are careening full-tilt into a crevasse of yield at the expense of flavour and aroma then you need look no further. This is bursting with seductively voluptuous character and style. At first sip you could be forgiven for thinking it was an orange and herb liqueur. However this initial sweetness is an illusion that quickly fades as your brain registers that it is experiencing, maybe for the first time, the full depth of aromas and flavours that really good barley can offer when it is treated with care and respect. A drop or two of water does no harm at all and you can even reduce this whisky a good deal without the profile changing. Water only seems to reinvigorate it, taking it right back to its crisp initial form before the sweetness and depth that emerge with time once again parade before you. I weep that Waterford Distillery went into receivership and that stunning whisky such as this is no longer being produced. I don’t know what the current state of things is with Waterford (I think there was an offer from a US distilling company?) but I hope Mark Reynier still has the energy to begin another project. If he crowd-funded I’d be involved without hesitation. If you see a bottle, buy it. The price quoted here is what I paid three years ago but it would be much more now on the secondaries, if you can even find it. If you're lucky you might find a dusty. “Captivating” : 91/100 (5 stars)