🥃 Tullamore Dew
An Irish whiskey brand from Tullamore (Offaly); the name comes from the initials of D. E. Williams; triple blend; Original is 40% ABV; owned by William Grant & Sons.
Tullamore Dew, branded as D.E.W., is an Irish whiskey brand from the town of Tullamore in the centre of Ireland. It is made from three types of whiskey — pot still, malt and grain — which is why it is a triple blend. Original is 40% ABV, and the brand is owned by the family company William Grant & Sons, which opened a new distillery here in 2014.
History. The distillery in Tullamore is linked to the year 1829. The name D.E.W. was formed from the initials of Daniel E. Williams, the manager of the distillery. The original distillery closed in 1954, and for a long time the whiskey was made under contract at other distilleries. William Grant & Sons bought the brand in 2010 or 2011 (sources differ), and on 17 September 2014 it opened a new distillery at Clonminch for 35 million euros, with a capacity of about 1.5 million cases a year.
How it is made. According to Difford's Guide, Original is a blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey, mostly from ex-bourbon casks with a small contribution from sherry casks. It is one of the lightest Irish whiskeys, and also the first of the old Irish brands to be turned into a blend.
Why this matters to you. Original carries no age statement, but under the "Irish Whiskey" GI every component has been aged for at least 3 years. The age on the label of other versions refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle. The words "triple blend" mean three types of whiskey in the blend; the number of distillations depends on the type of whiskey and the version, so check the description. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1829, Tullamore (Offaly); William Grant & Sons distillery — 17.09.2014 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | "Irish Whiskey" GI (Technical File; Reg. (EU) 2019/787) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | barley (pot still and malt), grain for the grain whiskey; water from the Slieve Bloom |
| Distillation method | blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey; the new distillery has 4 copper stills |
| Cask type | mostly ex-bourbon casks, a small contribution of sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in wooden casks under the GI rules; Original carries no age statement |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (Original) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Tullamore Dew → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 William Grant & Sons
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Irish Grain Whiskey, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Blended Irish Whiskey
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Jameson, 🥃 Jameson, 🥃 Bushmills, 🥃 Bushmills, 🥃 Cooley, 🥃 Cooley, 🥃 Paddy
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that D.E.W. in the name means dew?
A coincidence of words: in fact it is the initials of Daniel E. Williams, who ran the distillery. The English word dew happened to match the abbreviation.
Who owns Tullamore Dew?
William Grant & Sons, which bought the brand in 2010 or 2011 and opened its own distillery in 2014.
What is a triple blend?
A mixture of three types of Irish whiskey: pot still, malt and grain.
What is the strength of Tullamore Dew Original?
40% ABV, with no age statement.
When did the old distillery close?
In 1954. The new distillery opened on 17 September 2014 at a site in Clonminch, near Tullamore.
What to read next
- 🍷 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.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Jameson · 🥃 Midleton Very Rare · 🥃 Powers · 🥃 Paddy · 🥃 Redbreast · 🥃 Bushmills
⚠️ 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
- Difford's Guide: Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey (triple blend: pot still, malt, grain; bourbon casks, small sherry contribution; 40 %; William Grant & Sons)
- Shelflife.ie: William Grant & Sons opens EUR 35m Tullamore Distillery (17 September 2014, Clonminch, Co Offaly, 1.5 mln cases)
- 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)