There is a lot to like about Waterford Peated Single Farm Fenniscourt Harvest 2017 on paper. At 50% ABV, let us see if it lives up to expectations.
50% ABV. Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley. Suggested Retail: 99.99 USD. The pungency of the peat comes on strong, but the smokeyness is mild. Its closer to smoked salmon than a campfire. Like its sister bottling, the Fenniscourt harvest leans heavily on the sweet, mossy pungency of peat while taming the harshness of the smoke with the Irish tradition of triple distilling. This bottle is less peated than the Ballybannon, which gives more of a chance for flavors to breathe, but the peat still tends to overwhelm. This is worth trying if you like peated whisky, but want an alternative to the liquid smoke style of Islays. If you arent a fan of peateds, though, I would not see this changing your mind. Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
The Bottom Line
Waterford Peated Single Farm Fenniscourt Harvest 2017 is a perfectly respectable whiskey that does what it sets out to do. — it will not blow your mind, but it will not disappoint you either. A reliable choice.
