🥃 Tullamore Dew
Tullamore Dew is an Irish whiskey brand from Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The name D.E.W. comes from the initials of Daniel E. Williams. It is a triple blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskey; 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 called a triple blend. Original is 40% ABV (80 proof). The brand is owned by the family company William Grant & Sons, which opened a new distillery in Tullamore 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, 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 geographical indication 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) |
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
Does D.E.W. in Tullamore Dew mean dew?
No, it is a coincidence of words. D.E.W. is the initials of Daniel E. Williams, who ran the distillery; the English word dew just happens to match.
What ABV and proof is Tullamore Dew Original?
It is 40% ABV, which is 80 proof on US labels, with no age statement on the bottle.
Who owns Tullamore Dew, and does it have its own distillery?
William Grant & Sons, which bought the brand in 2010 or 2011 (sources differ) and opened its own distillery in 2014.
Is it spelled whiskey or whisky on an Irish bottle?
Irish whiskey is normally written with an e, as on this label, while Scotch uses whisky without it.
How is Tullamore Dew drunk in Ireland and the US?
Neat, over ice, or in a long drink or cocktail, in a small tumbler or a highball glass.
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 vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🧪 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.
What it includes
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)