Grace O'Reilly: Waterford Distillery's Crop Walker

This year, the much-anticipated first whiskey releases will leave
the gates of Waterford Distillery. The distillery's intense
approach to all aspects of whiskey production, starts long before
distillation or fermentation or even harvesting of the barley. It
begins months in advance of the sowing through nurtured
partnerships and planning with the farmers who'll supply the
crop. This is the part that Grace O'Reilly, Ireland's only
distillery-employed agronomist oversees. I chatted with Grace
about her role, the difference Waterford's approach has to the
final product and what she has learned in this exciting new
role.