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.