Tullamore D.E.W. 18 Year Single Malt

Visual: Medium amber/gold color with attractive, slow-moving legs. Nose: Immediately upon pouring, the initial impression is milk chocolate. Vanilla, raspberry, blackberry, and other dark fruits develop later. I'm accustomed to Irish whiskies being relatively light, unlike this one, which has a darker and sweeter character on the nose than expected. The combination of maturation in bourbon, oloroso, port, and sherry casks seems to have created a magical olfactory experience. The aroma suggests a dessert. Palate: It's much less sweet at the start than the nose indicated, though there's a hint of honey. Mid-palate, the milk chocolate from the nose appears, along with caramel and the expected cereal grains. A touch of dark chocolate is present just before the finish. Finish: The medium-length finish is nicely dry, with hints of dark chocolate and oak tannin. A pleasant lingering warmth is present. Empty glass: Notes of toffee and pecans. A good whiskey, particularly for chocolate enthusiasts. However, it appears to be difficult to find and a bit expensive in my area, and there are single malt scotches I'd prefer for the same or less cost. Nevertheless, it's a pleasant dram. It deserves 4 stars based on the aroma alone.

This is a highly limited release from Tullamore Dew. It's an 18-year-old, triple distilled single malt that spent up to 18 years in ex-bourbon casks before a finishing period of at least six months in four different cask types: old Oloroso ex-Sherry Butts, ex-Port Pipes, and ex-Madeira Drums. Fewer than 2,500 bottles were produced. Aroma: Rich and oaky with deep malty notes, caramelized fruit, and woody spice. Taste: Velvety smooth and mellow vanilla oak notes mixed with cinnamon, baked apple, toasted marshmallows, and biscuit sweetness. Hints of Ginger Ale, Coconut Water, Soda, and Green Tea, but not Cola. Finish: Rich and warming with a lasting malty sweetness. (This review is based on published notes.)

I believe I've set a new record for the time it's taken me to drink two drams... several hours. To be fair, I was trying to rearrange the kids' bedrooms and assemble flat-pack furniture, and I think drinking alcohol definitely slowed things down, as there was a fair amount of redoing involved in the furniture assembly... probably a good hour's worth. It was definitely the latest bedtime the children have had in a while. I found this one to be just okay, and I think I preferred its 14-year-old sibling. You do get more of the heavy wood influence here, with burnt caramel and other notes coming through, but I preferred the freshness and vibrancy of the 14-year-old in comparison to this. I think by the end, I was too tired to even finish it before going to bed.

91.5/100* *My whiskey ratings follow a 100 point system. This score is an accumulation of points from four areas: nose, taste, finish, and balance, each capable of earning a maximum of 25 points. The following is how my point total corresponds to the star rating I assign: 0 stars = 50 or less 1 star = 60 2 stars = 70 3 stars = 80 4 stars = 90 5 stars = 100 The final rating is adjusted to the nearest quarter star.

Nose: Notes of apples and pears, with a bit of honey. Very pleasant, but not especially complex. Palate: Fruit-forward, with apples and orchard fruit. Very sweet. Honey. Some baking spices. Finish: Medium length, with more fruit and baking spices. Not much alcohol burn.

Whiskey Live 2019. Saturday. Had a great conversation with the Tullamore representative at their booth. Very nice whisky too. Based on a side-by-side tasting, it only slightly edges out the 14yo, which is a favorite of mine.