Tullamore Dew

Tullamore Dew

Type	Irish whiskey
Manufacturer	William Grant & Sons
Country of origin	Tullamore, Ireland
Introduced	1829
Variants	10 year old reserve, 12 year old reserve
Related products	Grant's

Tullamore Dew is a blended Irish whiskey. It was originally a pot still whiskey, first distilled in 1829 in the town of Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. The name derives from the initials of an early manager of the concern, Mr. Daniel E. Williams: D.E.W. Tullamore Dew is the second best-selling Irish whiskey in the world, after Jameson. Formerly owned and marketed by Irish company, C&C Group, the label was sold to the Scottish Company William Grant & Sons in a €300 million deal in 2010.

History

Old Tullamore Dew Bottles

The town of Tullamore has a proud tradition of distilling whiskey. The first modern factory distillery can be traced back to 1829, founded by Michael Molloy. When he died, the distillery passed into the hands of the Daly family with Captain Bernard Daly in charge of the business. One of his colleagues, Mr. Daniel E. Williams, took over as General Manager and had a huge impact on the business. By 1890, he had the distillery in full swing producing the now famous whiskey, Tullamore Dew. It was actually Daniel’s initials (D. E. W.) that inspired the whiskey's name. Williams was very enterprising: he brought electricity to Tullamore in 1893, had the distillery install the town's first telephones and introduced motorised transport. He ran a commercial empire throughout the Irish midlands – drinks businesses, importing tea, selling seed and grain and a network of 26 general stores.

But there were tough times ahead for Irish whiskey: Prohibition in the United States, an economic war with Britain in the 1930s and World War II all hurt the industry. Tullamore was one of many distilleries affected by a general decline in Irish whiskey sales worldwide, but after World War II, Edmund Williams, grandson of Daniel E. Williams, used modern marketing techniques and re-established Irish whiskey as a world leader. Edmund proved as enterprising as his grandfather. In 1947, Tullamore also developed Irish Mist, an Irish liqueur based on an early recipe known to Ireland’s ancient chieftains. A blend of whiskey, herbs and honey, the recipe disappeared in the late 17th century, only to be rediscovered in a manuscript 250 years later. Edmund also capitalised on the Irish coffee craze, and perhaps most importantly recognised the potential of blended whiskies. The smooth, mature and distinctive taste of Tullamore Dew can be attributed to his foresight.

In 1963, the brand was sold to Powers and the Tullamore distillery was closed, with production moved to the New Midleton Distillery in the Cork, along with Jameson, Powers, Paddy and the rest of the Irish Distillers products. The brand was purchased in 1994 by the C&C Group plc. In 2010, C&C sold Tullamore Dew to William Grant & Sons in a €300 million deal. Most of the current product is made at the New Midleton Distillery. Grant & Sons have expressed an interest in establishing an entirely new distillery of their own to produce Tullamore Dew. The location of this distillery has not been confirmed but the current manufacturing plant in Clonmel, Tipperary has been suggested as the likeliest site.

Brands

The Tullamore Dew whiskies contain both malted and unmalted barley-based whiskeys, triple distilled and aged between 12 to 15 years in old bourbon or sherry casks. Some pot still whiskey is included in the blend.

Several Tullamore Dew whiskeys are available:

• Tullamore Dew Original: Tullamore Dew is described as "a premium Irish whiskey with a distinctively smooth taste."

• Tullamore Dew Black 43: 7 year old, with pot still whiskey aged in oloroso sherry casks. 43% of alcohol.

• Tullamore Dew Single Malt: 10 year old single malt whiskey.

• Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old Reserve: Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old Reserve is triple-distilled and aged in Spanish and American oak casks for a minimum of 10 years.

• Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve: The 12 Year Old was once described as "full of complex flavours, married to give a drinking sensation full of depth, character and maturity."^{[citation needed]} This blend won gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as at the International Spirits Challenge in 2006. Other significant awards include the Trophy for Best Irish Whiskey at the International Spirits Challenge in 1999 and 2000.

The Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre in Tullamore

• Tullamore Dew Heritage: The special Heritage blend of Tullamore Dew was launched in 2000 to mark the opening of the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre in County Offaly. It is exclusively for sale in the Heritage Centre in Tullamore, County Offaly. This blend won the Trophy for Best Irish Whiskey in 2001, and gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge in 2002 and 2003.

See also

• Whiskey
• Irish whiskey
• List of whisky brands

External links

• Tullamore Dew official site
• Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre - learn how Tullamore Dew whiskey was made in Tullamore
• Whiskey Bards Official Website
• The Whisky Guide-Tullamore Dew