Blackwater Distillery

About the distillery

Blackwater Distillery is located by the Blackwater River in Ballyduff Upper in West Waterford, and combines a working distillery with an unusually wide range of whiskies. Here you’ll find everything from pot still, single malt, peated rye and blend—often using local ingredients, historical references and clear experiments in cask selection. Visitors can join tours, tastings and masterclasses in the rustic setting of a converted hardware store from the 1950s.

History

Blackwater Distillery was established in 2014 in Ballyduff Upper, where it sits on the banks of the Blackwater River in West Waterford. From the beginning, the distillery has worked with a broad portfolio of spirits, but the whisky story has especially been shaped by John Wilcox, who is mentioned as head distiller on several releases. An important part of the story is the interest in older expressions of Irish whisky: Clashmore 1824 recreates a style from the last distillery activity in Waterford before the 1840s, and working with local historians helped reconstruct the typical grain bill. In 2016, the distillery made a one-off hedgerow gin, which has since been brought back, and in 2018 Planxty Wilcox came out of the distillery’s first production season. Later came, among others, PMD II: Return of the Dragon, the distillery’s first age statement whisky, and the newer limited editions Oaty McOatface and Starburst Spice Bag, showing just how far Blackwater is willing to push the Irish whisky style.

Ingredients and production

Blackwater works with Irish grown and malted grain and uses several types of grain across its whiskies: barley, malt, wheat, oats, rye and maize. This is especially true for the releases that build on the pot still tradition, where oats play a major role, and where smoked malt or smoked oats create a more pronounced profile. Oaty McOatface is described as double turfed, double oated, double distilled and double casked, while Planxty Wilcox is a vatting of distillates from the distillery’s own production, blended before cask maturation. Starburst Spice Bag uses a high share of rye and is made from 100% Irish grown and malted grain. PMD II: Return of the Dragon is made from 100% Irish barley, grown and malted on the same farm, and the distillery also highlights that its whiskies are not chill filtered or coloured. In the poitín Malt na Mara, barley is malted on a bed of seaweed to give a taste of the sea, and in Wexford Strawberry Gin, strawberries are added both before and after distillation.

Maturation and cask types

Cask maturation is a central part of Blackwater’s style. Clashmore 1824 is matured in sherry wood, and the historical pot still release is highlighted specifically for its sherry-influenced maturation. Planxty Wilcox is aged in American oak, more specifically an ex-rye cask, while Oaty McOatface is laid down in a Maple Cognac Cask. Starburst Spice Bag has matured in an ex-Ribera del Duero cask from North Spain, and PMD II: Return of the Dragon is a single cask in Apple Brandy. The Full Irish is built on bourbon barrels and finished in stout casks from Hopfully Brewing Company. Overall, the distillery uses its casks for both historical reconstruction and deliberate style breaks, resulting in whiskies with very different expressions without removing the distinct foundation in grain and smoked malt.

Whiskies

The whisky range is small enough to be manageable, but varied enough to show several sides of Irish whisky. In the current series, Oaty McOatface, Clashmore 1824, PMD II: Return of the Dragon, The Full Irish, Planxty Wilcox and Starburst Spice Bag stand out as clear single releases, each with its own idea. Oaty McOatface and Clashmore 1824 draw on the pot still tradition from two different angles, while PMD II: Return of the Dragon is the distillery’s only single malt and therefore a special benchmark. The Full Irish brings together several Irish whiskey styles in one blend, and Starburst Spice Bag shows the distillery’s more modern approach with peated rye. Together, they form a range spanning from historical reconstruction to clear experiments.

Whisky style and tasting profile

The overall flavour profile is shaped by grain, fruit and smoke in many forms. There’s oatmeal raisin, sweet breakfast porridge and marmalade toast, but also grapefruit zest, orchard fruit and apple butter, which provide a clear fruity and malty sweetness. The smoke comes through as turf smoke, pipe smoke, bonfire smokiness and apples on fire, while the rye expressions add warm rye toast and a more spiced, dry profile. Taken together, the whiskies point to a style where oats, malt and smoked grain create fullness, while the casks draw fruit, citrus and darker sweetness into the glass.

Visiting the distillery

Yes, the distillery can be visited. Guided tours, tastings and masterclasses are available, and the guided tour takes guests through the working distillery and explains Irish whisky and gin production. The tour lasts 45 minutes, costs €20 per person, and is scheduled for groups of 2–20 people. There is also a shop and the option to book, so the visit is set up to be planned in advance.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Blackwater clearly works with a mix of craftsmanship and pushback against norms. The distillery speaks openly about innovative spirits, while also showing respect for classic Irish styles such as pot still and historical mash bills. The collaboration with local historians, the use of 100% Irish grown and malted grain and the decision not to chill filter or colour the whisky all point to a deliberate focus on both ingredients and authenticity. At the same time, very small editions and individual experiments are used to explore what Irish whisky can also be.

Sustainability

1919 choker whisky bottle is produced with 100% post-consumer recycled glass.
Corkcoal stopper combines cork and charcoal without chemical bleaches.

Awards and recognition

• World Whiskies Awards 2025 (2025, Gold, Blackwater Irish Whisky ‘Clashmore 1824’)

• World Whiskies Awards 2025 (2025, Gold, Blackwater Irish Whisky ‘Oaty McOatface’)

• World Whiskies Awards 2025 (2025, Gold, Blackwater Irish Whisky Single Malt ‘PMD II: Return of the Dragon’)

• IWSC Spirit GOLD (Gold, Blackwater Irish Whisky ‘The Full Irish’)