Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Special Reserve

Smooth

Nose is very faintly almonds backed by Demerara sugar and what could charitably be described as a burnt pie crust lurking in the shadows. Palate is heavy-ish, mouth-coating but not overly viscous, and with a bit more heat than I would have expected for 12yrs and 40abv. Vanilla, honeysuckle and canned fruit salad in light syrup (with its commensurate slightly metallic side-note) is the best I can come up with. Close is short but not abrupt, slightly hot, and consists almost completley of those wood tannins I expected earlier. The mouthfeel is really nice, but the flavor profile, or more appropriately the lack of any distinguishable flavors at all, is a huge letdown. Makes a great Irish coffee, but so does Jameson Black Barrel or Bushmills Black Bush, and they’re readily available, cost less, and dare I say, taste better?

Third pour out of this bottle. Nose: Short bread cookies, play dough and berries compote. Palate: Soft, creamy, viscous, coating, really sticks all over the mouth, mild spices, butter cookies, oranges, and hints of marzipan. Finish: Medium length with mild spices, berries, mixed nuts, orange peel and a hint of oat meal raisin cookies. Empty glass: Mild, short bread cookies and marzipan. First two pours were less impressive. Really blossomed on this pour.

Snooth as hell, very muted over ice. Try neat.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! @brandymcnamara @Kyle-Metes-Randolph @Mark-McNamara