Colour: fresh, elegant.

Nose: notes of white fruits (pear, apple), aromatic plants (sage, verbena), vanilla and candied lemon appear alongside incredibly pure malted aromas. Allowed to breathe, the aroma palette very naturally becomes peppery, liquorice and honeyed (acacia). Then, taking resolutely fruity paths, it places a basketful of William’s pears on centre stage.

Palate: lively, distinguished. The herbaceous (cut hay, straw) and milky (coconut, almond) attack is also spicy (ginger, coriander) and slightly medicinal (tiger balm). Lingering on, the mid-palate harmoniously brings to mind a luscious field of barley. At the end of the palette, flavours of canary melon, white peach and almond add a fruity aspect to the flavour palette.

Finish: long, subtle. At the start of the finish, notes of eucalyptus, rosemary and savoury underscore this Waterford’s empyreumatic and refreshingly herbaceous character. At the end of the finish, vanilla flavours (flan) draw the tasting out infinitely, ending in a deliciously malty, fruity (pear, Mirabelle plum) and floral (lily, lavender) retronasal olfaction. Rich in dried extracts, the empty glass reveals notes of porridge, iris butter and red fruits (raspberry, strawberry).