Waterford

Waterford

Waterford was founded in 2015 by Mark Reynier in a converted former Guinness brewery in the city of Waterford. Reynier had previously led the revival of Bruichladdich on Islay, and he built Waterford around the idea that barley variety, soil and microclimate should be treated as part of whisky flavour rather than as interchangeable raw material. Waterford distilled its first spirit in 2016 and released its first whiskies in 2020.

Waterford was founded in 2015 by Mark Reynier in a converted former Guinness brewery in the city of Waterford. Reynier had previously led the revival of Bruichladdich on Islay, and he built Waterford around the idea that barley variety, soil and microclimate should be treated as part of whisky flavour rather than as interchangeable raw material. Waterford distilled its first spirit in 2016 and released its first whiskies in 2020.

About Waterford

Waterford was founded in 2015 by Mark Reynier in a converted former Guinness brewery in the city of Waterford. Reynier had previously led the revival of Bruichladdich on Islay, and he built Waterford around the idea that barley variety, soil and microclimate should be treated as part of whisky flavour rather than as interchangeable raw material. Waterford distilled its first spirit in 2016 and released its first whiskies in 2020.

Waterford kept each farm’s barley separate from field to cask and worked with Irish growers, including organic and biodynamic farms, to produce single-farm-origin bottlings as well as later cuvées. Its whisky was made from 100% Irish-grown barley, with long fermentations, slow distillation and a detailed traceability system that became central to the distillery’s identity. By 2024, the project had sourced barley from 97 Irish farms across 19 soil types.

The distillery entered receivership in November 2024 after financial pressures stopped production on site. In March 2026, Tennessee Distilling Group agreed to acquire Waterford’s core assets, including the distillery and intellectual property, with plans to invest in operations in Waterford. The maturing whiskey stock is being sold separately.

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