Review: Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey Core Lineup (Updated 2025)
You may have missed the recent news that venerable Irish whiskey brand Tullamore D.E.W. reduced production earlier this year, one of the first indications that the Irish whiskey category is also not immune from the same challenges currently facing every other whiskey-making country. In reading that news, we discovered that it has been well over a decade since we last sipped the current entry-level expressions in the Tullamore D.E.W. lineup, Original and Special Reserve 12 Years Old, the youngest age-stated offering.
Aside from some needed packaging updates, the whiskey in each bottle appears to be the same as what we tasted way back when: a triple distilled blend of Irish grain, malt, and pot still whiskeys aged in a mix of bourbon, sherry, and “traditional” Irish whiskey casks (meaning refill). The 12-year-old reportedly includes whiskeys aged between 12 and 15 years and is rumored to include a high proportion of pot still and malt whiskeys.
With this review, we look at fresh bottlings of two of the most readily available expressions in the Tullamore D.E.W. lineup, alongside older coverage of the other whiskeys in the core lineup dating back to 2011, when the brand was still just known as “Tullamore Dew.” A couple of discontinued core whiskey offerings can be found at the end of this dispatch; they aren’t being produced any more but you’ll still find them on the market on occasion, so we’re leaving them here for now.
Additional reporting by Christopher Null.
Tullamore D.E.W. Original Irish Whiskey Review
I expect a non age-stated blend at this proof to be soft, but this is surprisingly muted. With considerable time to open, delicate notes of heather honey and Cheerios finally present themselves alongside even shyer undertones of dried cranberry and vanilla extract. The palate has much more to offer, still straightforward and classic in its profile but well-executed. Early, light notes of cooked grain and honey wheat bread are sweetened just so with a touch of barley sugar and a faint tinned peach note. The midpalate adds a flourish of lemon peel and cherry – the boldest, brightest flavors yet – along with a surprisingly potent pot still spice. That peppery warmth lingers into a medium-ish finish of cinnamon syrup and strawberry candies. Better than we remember. A perfectly acceptable Irish whiskey for shooting or cocktailing. 80 proof. B / $25 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore D.E.W Special Reserve 12 Years Old (2025) Review
The high proportion of malt remains evident in the aroma with top notes of sweet yeast rolls and cooked grain. The maturation, Scotch-like is how Chris described it years ago, still comes through clearly on the nose, that mix of toffee and subtle dark fruit. But there’s also that characteristic Irish blend lightness, accented by a little pepper and raw grain character from the pot still. The palate remains a bit bland and doughy, however, with a thin mouthfeel that tends to weigh down the brighter berry compote and richer cocoa notes on the midpalate. The pot still spice found in the Original is much more subdued in this older expression, and while the finish shows some subtle, warming spice and a rather nice creaminess, the flavors remain muddled and a bit short-lived. Except for a slight price increase, this one comes across about the same as our first encounter. 80 proof. B / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore Dew Special Reserve 12 Years Old (2011) Review
There’s plenty of that characteristic malt in this expression, and for good reason: It actually uses more malt in the recipe. Altogether Tullamore 12 Year is a richer and more Scotch-like whiskey, aged in Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks and coming across with some sea spray and very lightly floral notes. None of that really measures up to the bread-like maltiness here, which lasts on the finish for a long while and leaves the palate with a bit of a thud. 80 proof. B / $43 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Review
Tullamore D.E.W. has been on a tear with new variants lately, and its latest expression, following up on last year’s Cider Cask Finish release, is here: Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish. As you might expect, this whiskey consists of “the brand’s signature Irish whiskey, Tullamore D.E.W. Original, finished in barrels previously used to age Demerara rum.” A little boozy on the nose, the whiskey actually offers the initial impression of a young white rum rather than any of its barrel influence. Ample vanilla and some apple cider notes round out the aromatic profile. The palate finds more of those heavy alcohol notes, here backed up by a rustic melange of fresh wood, salted caramel, and some dusky clove notes. The rum makes some impact on the finish, which is again on the tough and aggressive side. Rum cask-finished whiskey can be an enchanting thing, but the delicacy of the original Irish spirit and the apparent power of the rum casks used to finish this offering from Tullamore D.E.W. simply feel at odds with one another this time around. 86 proof. B- / $26 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore D.E.W. Single Malt 14 Years Old Review
Tullamore D.E.W.’s two Single Malt expressions came to the U.S. in 2016, which is when these reviews were written. These are distinctly different from traditional Tullamore releases, which are primarily composed of blends, and include finishing in four different types of barrels — bourbon, Oloroso sherry, Port and Madeira casks, for up to 6 months. The 14 year old is malty but rounded, with notes of fresh grain, brown butter, and some applesauce on the nose. The palate is heavily bourbon-cask influenced, with rolling notes of caramel that lead the way to a lightly wine-influenced character late in the game. The finish finds Tullamore 14 at its most enigmatic, surfacing gentle florals, white pepper, and a touch of burnt rubber. All told, this drinks heavily like a relatively young single malt Scotch (which shouldn’t be surprising), fresh and enjoyable but often anonymous and lacking a specific direction. Nothing not to like here, though. 82.6 proof. B / $70 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore D.E.W. Single Malt 18 Years Old Review
This expression grabs hold of you much more quickly, starting with a racier, spicier nose that evokes sherry and Madeira, bolder pepper notes, fragrant florals, and a sharp orange peel character. The heavier aromatics find their way into palate, which showcases much more of that Madeira character, with old red wine notes balanced by exotic rhubarb, incense, tangerine, and green banana. Sharper throughout and longer on the finish, the whiskey offers a power you don’t often see in Irish, but which is wholly welcome. 82.6 proof. A- / $110 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Discontinued core expressions
Tullamore Dew Reserve 10 Years Old Review
More complexity in this spirit, aged in Spanish and American oak casks for 10 years. Still light of body, with a distinct maltiness — pie crust to the apple and banana notes present in the nose and on the tongue. The finish turns from pastry to sweetness, giving this more of a dessert quality to it — much more so than standard Tullamore. (Since discontinued.) B+ / $34 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tullamore Dew Single Malt 10 Years Old Review
Here we have Tullamore at its most Scotch-like, a single malt matured in four different casks: Bourbon, Oloroso sherry, Port, and Madeira. If you didn’t know any better, this could be a Scotch, though not a particularly great one. Sherry predominates (where are the Port and Madeira?), along with that malt character again. While it fills the mouth, the whiskey is easygoing and (as with most Dew) quite pleasant, but the finish lacks finesse and there’s just not much nuance in the body. (Since discontinued.) B / $40 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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