The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Waterford Gaia 1.1 Organic Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Irish WhiskeyIssue 70

Waterford Gaia 1.1 Organic Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Waterford · Waterford Distillery

$95100 proofNAS (approx. 3-4 years)Waterford, Ireland
A philosophical whiskey as much as a sensory one — Gaia argues, persuasively, that organic Irish barley grown across multiple certified farms can speak with a distinct, layered voice.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Lifted and almost garden-fresh — green apple skin, lemon balm, and a powdery floral note that yields to warm malted barley, soft honey, and a whisper of orange oil.

Palate

Creamy mouthfeel belies the 50% strength; honeyed cereal and ripe peach lead, joined by white pepper, hay, vanilla cream, and a chalky minerality that hints at the Irish soils beneath the grain.

Finish

Medium-long and gently spiced, with lingering malt sweetness, citrus pith, and a clean herbal echo of cut grass.

Specifications
Mash Bill
100% organic Irish malted barley (multi-farm Arcadian blend)
Distillation
Double-distilled in copper pot stills sourced from the former Inverleven distillery
Maturation
Approximately 35% first-fill US oak, 25% virgin US oak, 20% premium French oak, and 20% Vin Doux Naturel casks
Single Pot Still
No
Chill-Filtered
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

The Biodynamic Sour — 2 oz Waterford Gaia 1.1, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz organic wildflower honey syrup (2:1), 2 dashes chamomile tincture, 1 egg white. Dry shake, then shake with ice, double strain into a coupe, garnish with a single edible marigold petal.

Food Pairing

Seared scallops with brown butter, hazelnuts, and apple — the whiskey's honeyed malt and orchard-fruit lift mirror the dish's sweetness while the proof cuts the richness.

The Story

Founded by former Bruichladdich chief Mark Reynier in a former Guinness brewery, Waterford's Arcadian series pushes terroir further still — Gaia is built exclusively from certified-organic Irish barley grown across a network of pioneering biodynamic and organic farms.

Train These Aromas
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