The Old Tullamore Distillery was founded in 1829 in the town of Tullamore in central Ireland. The current Tullamore DEW whiskey was developed by Daniel E. Williams, whose initials make up the name of the whiskey. Daniel was the managing director of the distillery and later also the owner. The distillery was closed in 1954 after a long period of financial problems and production was sold to John Power & Son, which relocated production to Cork in Midtown. In 2010, the brand was acquired by Scottish William Grant & Sons for € 300 million and renovated and reopened production in Tullamore, after a break of more than 60 years.
Tullamore Dew is mixed with malt whiskey, pot-still whiskey (including both malted and plain barley) and column distillation made from various cereals. The different whiskeys are mixed together and matured for three years, mainly in ex-Bourbon barrels. Tullamore Dew’s sales volume is approximately 8.5 million liters per year (2019). It is the second best-selling Irish whiskey right after Jameson and can be found in most stores around the world. A 35 cl bottle cost € 8.
The aroma has apple and other fruit, honey, a little vanilla and cinnamon. Fruity and sweet, pleasant aroma. The taste is a bit sharp at first and not as aromatic as could expect from the smell. The taste has grain, honey sweetness, orange peel and woody bitterness. Light fruity and spicy nuances emerge slowly. The aftertaste is short, spicy and quite bitter. Tullamore Dew is best sipped neat, with no added water or ice. The water dilutes the fruity aromas and brings out more grainy and woody flavor. Due to the low price, it is naturally very suitable for mixing cocktails. The best thing about Tullamore Dew is its fruity and sweet aroma, the taste is a bit mediocre. Sweet yes, but also spicy, woody and slightly bitter. Among the three big Irish, Tullamore takes the win with a small difference, being a little more versatile than Jameson.
79/100