Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Special Reserve

Nicer than the regular expression, but nothing special. The sherry casks do what they ought to, so that’s good.

Ah, Tully 12. Often overlooked in favor of Redbreast 12 and Green Spot at the price point. That'll happen when the lion's share of your distillery's sales come in the form of a cheap, borderline mixer NAS blend. Let's see if 12 years in the barrel can elevate Tully's status beyond that of a dive bar/college party classic. Nose: Sweet and buttery. Red/purple grape and grape jam. Butterscotch, vanilla, toffee, and shortbread cookie. Orange candy and some raisin from the sherry cask. There's also walnut and almond, rounded out with an oak note. Even a bit of honeydew. Solid nose. Palate: More of the grape, jam, raisin notes. Now accompanied by juicy plum; the sherry influence is more prevalent here than on the nose. Mlik chocolate, vanilla, and orange-citrus. Toffee and butterscotch carry over from the nose, as well as the walnut and almond, now accompanied by hazelnut. Just a touch oak. Awesome palate. This one really shines here. Finish: Out of the gate, it's more of the classic Irish shortbread cookie. A touch of powdered sugar before a burst of cinnamon, pepper, and baking spices. Oak as well. Moderate length, which is surprising for a 40% ABV. This is really good stuff. It's a shame it gets overlooked. I prefer the likes of Knappogue Castle 14 and Redbreast 12 at this price point, and I think it's on par with Green Spot. (I'm back to this a year later and I'm rethinking that. Green Spot might be better--but it this is a 40%er and it's the final pour--it's reasonable to assume oxidation would take a toll here). It's worthy of being in the discussion with any of the above, and that's great company to keep. The cream of the crop Irish that even hang with some of the big boys coming out of Scotland. At $55, I'm more than satisfied with my purchase. This could be a real juggernaut bottled at 43-46%. At any rate, this is an impressive whiskey as is. A job well-done, Tully.

Smooth with an excellent finish.