Monday 17 August 2015

Tullamore Dew Trilogy 15-Year Old

The latest Tullamore Dew is a lethal combination of gorgeous and affordable. A bottle was kindly sent to me four days ago and I haven't been able to stay out of it since. Lest I run out during the rigorous "sampling" phase I've already been to the Celtic Whiskey Shop to purchase another and I'm assailed by regret that I didn't just hoover up whatever they had in the stockroom.

From time-to-time I'm reminded how good Irish blended whiskey can be, and it's often Tullamore Dew doing the reminding. They have made the "triple blend" their own, meaning a combination of grain, malt and pot still whiskeys. Most other blends make do with just two of these.


This new whiskey begins with the standard 12-year old Tullamore Dew triple blend aged for a further 3 years in ex-bourbon casks. It's then finished for 3 months in Trinidadian rum casks.

There are, you can see, a lot of threes in this story (the various components are triple-distilled too). Since regular Tullamore Dew is matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, the addition of rum here makes the new whiskey a "triple-wood". Hence the name, "Trilogy".

Official tasting notes:
Nose 
Rich spice and nutty oakiness interlaced with a hint of tropical fruit  
Body 
Creamy and full bodied 
Palate 
A rich and complex full-bodied taste with fruit, nuts and spice and a lingering creamy fudge flavour 
Finish 
Long, intensely rich and satisfying 
The standout attributes for me are the creamy mouthfeel and whoosh of spice on the finish (traits commonly associated with pot still whiskey). But it's immensely satisfying and balanced all the way from the lively nose to the long, lingering echoes of flavour. The bottling strength of 40% carries all the oomph you could want.

9,000 bottles will be available in selected stores and travel retail in the US, Ireland, Denmark, France, Germany, South Africa, Russia, and the UK. 240 have been allocated to Ireland where you can find it in the Celtic Whiskey Shop, Dublin Airport and the Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre. RRP is €65.

Like the Cider Cask before it, Trilogy is a product of the modestly described "small warehouse" in Clonmel where John Quinn, Brian Kinsman, et al, must be having the greatest time imagining and testing combinations of spirit and wood. Here's an action photo from the warehouse, tweeted by John Quinn himself, no doubt working on the next limited release to delight us.