Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky Review

Country: Ireland
Region: Near Cork, Ireland
ABV: 40%
LCBO Price: $29.95
Availability: Wide

Tullamore Dew is second most popular Irish Whiskey in the world, and one of the most widely available. It was first distilled in 1829 in Tullamore. a small town in the county of Offaly, Ireland. The "Dew" portion of it's name is derived from the initials of Daniel E. Williams (D.E.W.) a prominent Irish businessman and early owner of the distillery.


Examining the bottle, the first thing I notice is that the distillery has eschewed a proper cork or plastic cap in favour of a metal one. These metal caps do not properly seal the bottle once opened, and can cause the whisky to go stale before the bottle is finished. Therefore, keeping Tullamore Dew or any other whisky with a metal cap longer than a few weeks is not recommended. Otherwise the bottle is pleasant looking, if a bit on the dull side.

Without water, on the nose, there is actually quite a lot going on for a blend. I smell some single malts, but the first thing I pick up is pot still whiskey, almost identical to the nose of Redbreast Irish Potstill Whiskey. I have not tried Green Spot, so I will assume that this blend does in fact contain Redbreast. The pot-still note is bitter with rhubarb and green apple and gooseberry notes and metallic accents. The other whisky involved has a more creamy, toasty, malty character. Everything seems to be influenced by the young, green bitter pot still whiskey. There is a pinch of spice in the nose, actually closest to cayenne pepper, with grassy hay undertones.

To taste, there is some very apparent alcohol/grain heat paired with some cayenne spice. What immediately follows is the pot still whisky profile, as well as a distinct apple pie note. There is rhubarb, green apple, gooseberry, spice, and the slightest hint of sweet strawberry. There is something about the taste profile which reminds me of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Creamy and malty at first, but with a sharp, long, alcoholic finish. If I had to guess, I would say that this blend includes a number of whiskies, because the taste profile is complex, but imbalanced and not entirely cohesive.

With water, the nose immediately becomes floral, with violet notes, along with some grassy hay and malty sweetness. There is a bit of farm-funk midway through, and cayenne notes creep up in with repeated nosings. There is also some black pepper and mild clove. To taste it remains nearly unchanged with water, with prominent alcohol burn and cayenne pepper notes.

Overall, this is a competent whisky which is better than some popular offerings. However it is outclassed by Jameson, sports a metal cap, and is priced at about $30 Canadian. For that price I would recommend Islay Mist over this blend, or if Irish whiskey is a must, then Jameson or Bushmills Original. I give it a 78.5/100 for the somewhat pleasant pot still notes.

Rating: 78.5/100

The Singleton Of Glendullan 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

LCBO Price: $47.95

The Singleton Of Glendullan is perhaps the most readily available single malt in Ontario next to Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, and one of the least expensive.

While it sports the Singleton namesake, Glendullan is the distillery responsible for the production of this whisky. That is because The Singleton is a brand which encompasses two distilleries. Glendullan and Dufftown, both from the Speyside region of Scotland.

The presentation of this malt is quite handsome, coming in a tall, flask-shaped bottle with a green tint. The label is elegant, and the cork appears to be genuine. The presentation is reminiscent of Ballantine's blends, with it's use of cursive type-face and more elegant design cues.

On the nose, there is a very Glenfiddich-esque apple note with a touch of leather, subdued sherry, green banana, lemon zest, tangerine, pear, bourbon, pecans, cola and a pinch of salt/sea air. Overall I would describe the taste profile as having a "green" quality. Mainly green fruits, especially green banana if left to open up in the glass for a few minutes.

Tasting The Singleton Of Glendullan without water, the whisky exhibits an almost schizophrenic quality. There is sherry, and there is malt, but there doesn't seem to be enough of either. You get an unsatisfying wave of sherry, cut short too soon, and then a similar wave with the malt and a similarly unsatisfying finish. I attribute this to the aging in both sherry casks and bourbon casks. There is sherry, and there is bourbon, but the whisky is neither, so you're left wishing you had more of one of them, rather than less of both. There is also a bit too much heat here without water.

With water, the harshness is subdued, and the whisky opens up to reveal a much more balanced flavour profile. The bourbon notes fade away all but completely, and the malt becomes much more apparent. Most pleasingly, a smoky note reveals itself, with a finish not unlike Cragganmore 12 year old. Toasty malty notes and a pinch of smoke on the finish make this a much more enjoyable dram with water. There are still lingering notes of apple, green banana and spice. In fact, with the smoke and green banana, there is something about the finish of this whisky which is similar to Appleton Estate rums, though much subdued.

I much preferred The Singleton with water, and I encourage anyone wishing to purchase this whisky to add some (sparingly). The whisky is dense in it's flavour profile, and somewhat closed without it.

Overall, I would give this whisky 85/100. The presentation is handsome, but the nose is lackluster and a bit too green for my tastes. Without water, the whisky has a split personality, but opens up nicely once water is added.

Rating: 85/100

Four Roses Yellow Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky Review

Country: United States
Region: Kentucky
ABV: 40%
LCBO Price: $28.85

The legend of Four Roses bourbon, according to the distillery, is that "Paul Jones Jr., the founder of Four Roses Bourbon, became smitten by a beautiful Southern belle. He sent a proposal to her, and she replied that if her answer were "Yes", she would wear a corsage of roses on her gown to the upcoming grand ball. When she showed up at the night of the ball in her beautiful gown, she wore a corsage of four red roses. He later named his Bourbon "Four Roses" as a symbol of devout passion for the lovely belle".

Quaint legends aside, Four Roses has gained a reputation as a fine entry level bourbon. It is the most popular bourbon in Japan, and remains a favourite in many countries across the globe.

On the nose, poured into a Glencairn glass, this bourbon exhibited many qualities normally found in more expensive whiskies. It has a toasty, almost malty note which I normally associate with single malts and Anejo tequila's. When I say toasty, I mean toasted oat. The note, on both the nose and the taste, is similar to that of Cheerio's breakfast cereal, and not in a negative way. There is also oak, honey, and what I would describe as a "tropical" fruit profile. There is ripe banana, kiwi, mango and cantaloupe/honeydew melon, along with some Bartlett's pear on the non-tropical side.

To taste, without water, the body is light and ever so slightly oily, with waves of toasty oats, honeydew and cantaloupe, a nice amount of oak, ripe banana, mango, kiwi, and hints of red fruits (cherries, raspberries). The finish is especially long for a bourbon in this price range, with toasty notes, oak, raspberry and maple syrup. Once I noticed the raspberry note in this bourbon, it became more prominent. It's a creamy raspberry, along the lines of raspberry's and cream, or raspberry yogurt.

With water, the toasty note on the nose becomes leathery and peppery, with hints of dried cayenne and black pepper, and to taste, the spicy notes dominate, while the rest of the whisky becomes imbalanced and diluted. I would recommend enjoying this whisky without water, as the nose and the taste profile are both better without.

Overall, this is easily the best bourbon under $30 currently available at the LCBO. It out-performed both Jim Beam Black and Wild Turkey on both the taste and the nose. It also outclassed Jack Daniel's Old No.7 at nearly two dollars less the price. For it's value and quality, I give Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky 88/100, and highly recommend it as a go-to bourbon on a budget for those living in Ontario.

Rating: 88/100