Tullamore Dew Special Reserve Triple Distilled 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
80 Proof
Price Point: $40 – $50 for 750 ML
Distiller: Tullamore Dew Company Ltd.
Background
Last year, I reviewed Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old Single Malt, a major step-up from the standard Tullamore Dew, and an excellent Irish whiskey. Today I am reviewing Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old, a triple-distilled Irish whiskey. I certainly hope to find the complex flavors of the 10 Year Old in this one, but since it doesn’t share single malt qualities with its younger brother, I’m a bit skeptical.
Review
The nose on Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old is delicate with faint bourbon and subtle sherry. It has malt overpowering grain. It’s light and airy from the triple distillation.
This whiskey has a thin mouthfeel; it’s light and crisp. 12 years in the barrel and 40% ABV makes Tullamore Dew an easy-drinking whiskey. It’s tasty, but lacking intensity. There’s some apple/pear and a little bitterness toward the end.
There’s malt and sweet sherry/bourbon on the finish. There are also high notes bringing Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old back to its traditional Irish heritage. This finish is also somewhat brief.
Rating & Recommendations
Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old earns a rating of 81 out of 100.
This is a good whiskey to grab when you’re feeling low-key and want something that doesn’t overpower. Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old has all good aromas and flavors, but all are seriously dialed back. If you’re going to go for this brand, do yourself a favor and go for the 10 Year Old Single Malt.
-Ryan
3 comments
1 pings
Hello, Ryan.
Are you sure that you and I aren’t telepathic? I also purchased both the Tullamore D.E.W. 10 Year Old Single Malt and 12 Year Old Special Reserve expressions just last month, in the hope of finding a new mid-priced Irish whiskey to add to the top of Susan’s china cabinet. I opened the single malt first, having never tried a single malt Irish whiskey before, and was not impressed with it. According to the Tullamore D.E.W. web site, their single malt whiskey is matured in bourbon, sherry, port, and madeira casks. In my opinion, that’s just too many flavor profiles to get my taste buds around. I managed to finish the bottle, but fought every glassful, hoping to have better luck with the Special Reserve’s two more years of maturity in only bourbon and sherry casks. You were too kind in your review. How Tullamore’s master blender can manage to make the Special Reserve’s blend of single grain, single malt and (especially) single pot still whiskey absolutely tasteless is beyond me. I’ll stay with the Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel NAS (bourbon/sherry casked) and Teeling Small Batch NAS (bourbon/rum casked) expressions until I find something better.
I hope you and Sarah had a nice Easter.
Chuck
Good evening, Ryan.
I found something better – the Powers Signature Release 92-proof bourbon/sherry casked single pot still expression. Of the three Irish whiskey styles (single malt, single pot still and blended), I find that single pot still expressions offer the best palate for “sippin’ whiskey.”
Best regards,
Chuck
Author
I’ll have to check it out based on your recommendation.
Cheers!
-Ryan
[…] Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey […]