🥃 Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve
12-year-old line of the Tullamore Dew brand: triple blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey; bourbon and oloroso casks; 40% ABV.
Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve is the 12-year-old line of the Tullamore Dew brand. It is an Irish blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey, 40% ABV. Unlike Original, the label states an age, which refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle.
According to Whiskynotes, the blend is triple distilled, contains a lot of pot still and malt whiskey, and matures in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks. The Whiskey Wench also mentions bourbon and sherry casks and notes a sherry aroma. Whisky Advocate classifies it as an Irish blend. Whiskynotes adds that the components are between 12 and 15 years old.
Why this matters to you. This is an older and more sherry-driven variant than Original, so it is worth placing next to the base line. The 12-year figure is a minimum, not the exact age of all components. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | PGI “Irish Whiskey” (Technical File; Reg. (EU) 2019/787) |
|---|---|
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | pot still and malted barley, grain for the grain whiskey |
| Distillation method | triple distillation; pot still, malt and grain blend (per Whiskynotes) |
| Cask type | bourbon and oloroso sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | 12 years (per the line name) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Sherry, 🍷 Oak barrel, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Irish Grain Whiskey, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Tullamore Dew, 🥃 Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Blended Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Tullamore Dew 14 Year Old Single Malt, 🥃 Tullamore Dew Original, 🥃 Tullamore Dew XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, 🥃 Tullamore Dew 14 Year Old Single Malt, 🥃 Tullamore Dew Original, 🥃 Tullamore Dew XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, 🥃 Jameson
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that the 12 Year Old Special Reserve is a single malt whiskey?
No. It is a blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey, according to Whiskynotes.
What is the strength of Tullamore Dew 12?
40% ABV, according to Whiskynotes, The Whiskey Wench and Whisky Advocate.
What casks is it matured in?
In bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, according to Whiskynotes.
What to read next
- 🥃 Tullamore Dew Original — Base line of the Tullamore Dew brand: a triple blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey; 40% ABV; no age statement.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Irish whiskey from malted and unmalted barley (at least 30% of each), distilled in pot stills; 3+ years in casks, 40% vol. or more.
Similar
🥃 Tullamore Dew Original · 🥃 Tullamore Dew XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish · 🥃 Tullamore Dew 14 Year Old Single Malt · 🥃 Jameson Black Barrel · 🥃 Bushmills Original · 🥃 Jameson Crested
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Whiskynotes: Tullamore DEW 12 Year Old Special Reserve (40 %, triple distilled blend of pot still, malt and grain, bourbon and oloroso sherry casks)
- The Whiskey Wench: Tullamore D.E.W. 12-Year Special Reserve (40 %, bourbon and sherry casks)
- Whisky Advocate: Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve, 40 % (blended Irish whiskey)
- Revenue (Ireland): Geographical Indication for Irish Whiskey and Irish Poteen/Poitin (GI verification, Tax and Duty Manual)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 2 (whisky/whiskey)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)