Waterford

In a decommissioned Guinness brewery in the Irish port city of Waterford, Mark Reynier – previously the driving force behind the revival of Bruichladdich on Islay – realised his vision of a consistently terroir-driven Irish single malt in 2015. Rather than relying on age statements, Waterford built its concept around "Single Farm Origin" bottlings from precisely defined barley-growing plots across around 100 Irish farms.

In late 2024, the distillery entered receivership after failed attempts to raise fresh funding; in 2026, the American Tennessee Distilling Group acquired the brand and the site for around €6 million. With Waterford Fenniscourt Single Farm Origin, you will find one of the many site-specific bottlings from the era before the takeover in our selection.

What does "terroir" mean for a whisky?

Mark Reynier brought the terroir concept from winemaking – the influence of soil, climate, and location on the character of the finished product – into the whisky world during his time at Bruichladdich. In 2014, he founded his own distillery in a former Guinness brewery in the city of Waterford to pursue this concept consistently. For the "Single Farm Origin" series, Waterford works with around 97 Irish farms growing a total of 19 different barley varieties – some organic, some biodynamic. From this raw material come over 40 different raw spirits, each intended to capture the specific character of its plot of origin.

What happened to the distillery in recent years?

After years of ambitious expansion, Waterford ran into financial difficulty in late November 2024: after failing to secure a new round of funding, creditor HSBC stepped in and had receivers appointed. In early 2026, the American Tennessee Distilling Group (TDG) acquired both the distillery and the brand rights for around €6 million; the already-maturing cask stocks were sold off separately. TDG announced plans to invest significantly in the site and reopen it to visitors.

Overview of the most popular bottlings

1. Waterford Fenniscourt 1.1 - Single Farm Origin
A terroir bottling from a single Irish barley-growing plot.
Taste: Fruity and mineral with pronounced grain character.
Serving suggestion: An exciting introduction to the terroir concept in whisky.

2. Waterford Single Farm Origin - Ballymorgan 1.2
Another site-specific bottling from a different growing region.
Taste: Spicy and earthy with a distinctive character.
Serving suggestion: For a direct comparison with other single-farm bottlings.

Facts and figures

Founded: 2015 by Mark Reynier, Waterford, Ireland. Concept: terroir-focused single malt. Status: entered receivership November 2024, acquired by Tennessee Distilling Group in 2026.