Tullamore D.E.W. Trilogy 15 Year

Tullamore DEW 15 Trilogy 40% abv. Tullamore DEW is a pretty cool brand. I like that they are willing to try all kinds of different things with their whiskies (cider cask finish, rum cask finish) and this one – the 15 yr Trilogy that is a combo of wood maturation (bourbon, oloroso sherry, and rum casks). The biggest complaint I have for this one is that it’s neutered down to the legal minimum of 40% abv.  Everything about this is pleasant and easy drinking but lacking any real substance.  Here is what Tullamore DEW says about it https://www.tullamoredew.com/en-gb/our-range/tullamore-trilogy/  The smell is pretty nice – red fruits, banana, strawberry, green apples. It’s a bright fresh clean fruit smell.   The taste is very nice but lacking any real definition. Some soft fruit, light spice, soft vanilla.  It’s slightly fruity and sweet and has a very pleasant taste but just lacking anything that really stands out. The finish is much like the taste – pleasant but short. Red fruits, light clove spice and a little heat. This is a tough one for me because it is really nice and easy to drink. I believe the age shows well even though it’s watered down to 40%.....I’ve tasted plenty of inferior whiskies at 40% that still give off a lot of alcohol burn. That’s not the case here. As much as I enjoy this it’s hard for me to justify this price. This was close to $80 and I can tell you that the Tullamore DEW Phoenix is WAY better than this one and $20 cheaper. Tullamore DEW 15 Trilogy is a really nice whiskey and if you have the cash to burn, go ahead and grab it – it’s certainly tasty but it’s just a bit boring. The combination of it being watered down and the price point is my hang up on this. If it were priced right and provided at 46-50% I would probably give this a much better rating. As it is – It’s good and tasty and I’ll happily drink it so long as I never have to pay this $80+ price again. Overall Grade:  C Check us out at: https://www.wickedswill.com And check out our tasting journals: Scotch Whisky Tasting Journal - https://tinyurl.com/yc55yhu6 Bourbon Whiskey Tasting Journal - https://tinyurl.com/jmvp9sew

Blasphemy, a blend?!! Are these 4 stars really the same 4 that go to the best scotch single malt? I can see that if you've drunk some the cheaper Irish blends you might be a tad surprised but trust me. This is a great tipple late at night when you don't feel quite ready for a peaty Islay or Jura, but aren't quite ready for a Mcallan Fine Oak or Aberlour Abunadh. Amanda's description is spot-on, and if you like Special K Red-Berries, you'll taste a delicious hint of that cereal! (Do you ever secretly eat a bowl of Red Berries when your partner's fallen asleep watching a sic-fi flick?) Pleasant indeed - I would rate at 3.5 stars but it gets a generous half for its long, complex warming finish, standing up well to the Speysiders and as an aperitif before you start on the heavy beauties whether a Macallan 18 or Glenfarclas 21. Recommended my hearties and please don't put me up in front of the judge! :-)

Amanda's final words in her excellent review say it best. Layered and tasty, but smooth and sippable. Fruit-forward, but without some of the notes that make that a turn-off for many including myself. The green tea and plum do not overreach, the tullamore body isnt lost, the cask finishes are all really pleasant to sip and let them lead your tongue around. Neat it wasnt perfect. In my few tests about half a cube worth of water for a small tumbler worked best. A fat tumbler pour over 1.5 cubes with 1teaspoon licor 43 brought ALL the caskings out fabulously. I want to give it a 4, but 3.75 like someone else said is maybe the reach. 3.5 totally out of 5 I could see. its unique, its tullamore, its Irish craft refined. Nothing to go stash a case of, but a bottle I definitely liked.

nose - an almond milkiness leads, following with raisin and vanilla and a hint of cinamon and fruit. one of the most pleasant nosing experiences palette - almost imperceptibly starts with the nutty almond start, very oily and vanilla follows. the vanilla lasts on the silky-smooth finish overall, right up there with the redbreast 15… lacks a little bit of a depth and conplexity, but that’s not a bad thing with how pleasant it all happens

I think the taste and aroma have been well covered in other reviews so what I'll say is I was debating whether to a give 4.5 or 5 star when I cast my mind back to when I bought this, after finishing my first sample I instantly went back for another and stuck with it all night rather than moving on to another whiskey. After just having one now to leave this review I'm reminded to pick up the 14 & 18 year Single Malts from Tullamore DEW

Nose is heavy with fruits and shortbread notes. Comes off like a boozy marionberry pie. On the pallet its all dark fruit, oak spice and vanilla. Straightforward flavors but some of the exact notes are hard to pin down. Its definitely heavy on the malt/pot still with just a bit of the grainy notes coming through, mostly on the finish. Fantastic pour!