A little bird told me at WhiskyFest New York on Tuesday night that there’s a good chance we’ll see a Tullamore Dew single malt Irish whiskey in 2009. Yes, a single malt! That’s a first since I’ve been drinking whiskey.
The Tullamore Dew blended whiskeys on the market for the past few decades have come from the Midleton distillery in County Cork, where Jameson, Power’s, Redbreast and many other whiskeys are produced. Don’t look for the new Tully single malt to come from Midleton, though. That’s not their gig. Think “Cooley distillery.”
I’ll post some other WhiskyFest tidbits over the coming days. Stay tuned.
OK, if the secret’s out… as I heard it, we’ll see Tullamore Dew 10yo single malt finishes. In other words, what’s currently available under the Tyrconnell label: 10yo port, sherry and madeira finishes. I love the port myself.
I think that a Tullamore 10 yr. single malt old is pretty dramatic on its own, let alone a “finished” one. I do love those Tyrconnell “finished” releases, though.
if they have somehow (miraculously) learned of unchillfiltered, diluted to no less than 46.% (& Cooley knows how better than the old guys) THEN they might have something! BUT, another 40.% limp biscuit= fagedaboutit
That would be fine – if it came to pass.
Has Cooley aquired the brand Tullamore Dew from IDG? The Tullamore Dew blended whiskey is too strong a brand for IDG to give up the name. Outside of Ireland that is.
At the moment I would have strong doubts.
Of course there could be an arrangement between Cooley and IDG about the name but I can not imagine the Irish Distillers Group or parent Pernod Ricard will let the Tullamore Dew blend brand be weakened by a Tullamore Dew single malt or malts from a competitor.
Kallaskander, the Tullamore Dew blended Irish whiskeys are currently being made at Midleton, which is owned by IDG (and ultimately Pernod).
However, the Tullamore Dew brand is owned by the C & C Group, not IDG (unless something changed without my knowing). So, I imagine Tullamore Dew single malt could theoretically be made at any of the Ireland’s distilleries.
Switching distilleries is not a new thing. The earlier vintages of Knappogue Castle were from Cooley, but then later came from Bushmills. And the most recent release, Knappogue Castle 15 year old is (again) from Cooley.
Hello John,
where is the SWA when you need them? Ah yes, we are in Ireland and the scottish SWA has no jurisdiction in Ireland.
Well I am a fan of the Scottish custom to name a whisky after the distillery that makes it.
But in Ireland you can make a whiskey of any name in any distillery.
I was not aware the the brand Tullamore Dew does not belong to Pernod but a third party.
Would be nice if they made Tullamore at Tullamore again, though. But yes now that you mention it it rings a bell. Thank you.
Alas Kallaskander most of the Tullamore site is a shopping centre now. The success of Tullamore Dew itself and Irish Mist (also associated with the company) came too late to save the physical area.
However as most Irish whiskey is blended a distillery name isn’t really necessary. Besides the Scots themselves have many proprietary bottlings and blends that give no indication of their origin. There are also a few dubious single malts floating around as well.
[...] first wrote about this here back in November. It’s now official. Only 400 cases coming to the U.S. in 2009, though, with [...]