
Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve
Tullamore D.E.W. · Tullamore Distillery
The 12-year-old expression demonstrates what patient triple distillation and careful cask management can achieve. It's a blend that punches above its price, balancing sherry richness with pot still character. The kind of Irish whiskey you reach for when you want complexity without drama.
Nose
Inviting dried fruit and honeycomb lead, with almond and a touch of clove spice underneath. Vanilla and soft floral notes develop with time in the glass, suggesting sherry cask influence.
Palate
Silky and medium-bodied. Caramel and malt form the backbone, with dried apricot and nut sweetness at the center. A gentle spiciness — clove and a whisper of cocoa — builds toward the back palate without ever becoming sharp.
Finish
Moderate length with buttery malt and lingering dried fruit. A pleasant woody dryness closes cleanly.
- Distillation
- Triple distilled
- Maturation
- Minimum 12 years in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks
- Single Pot Still
- No
- Chill-Filtered
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Tipperary Cocktail — 1.5 oz Tullamore D.E.W. 12 · 1 oz green Chartreuse · 1 oz sweet vermouth · Stir over ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a cherry.
Food Pairing
The whiskey's dried fruit and nutty character mirror the sweet, crystalline quality of well-aged Comté, with fig preserves bridging the sherry influence.
Blended from pot still, malt, and grain whiskeys matured for a minimum of twelve years in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks at the Tullamore distillery in Ireland's midlands.
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