Tullamore D.E.W. XO Rum Cask (43%, OB, 2018)

• Category: Irish blended whiskey
• Origin: Midleton Distillery
• Bottling: William Grant & Sons
• ABV: 43%
• Cost: £26

What they say

XO Rum Cask Finish is our Tullamore D.E.W. Original triple distilled triple blend of pot still, malt and grain Irish whiskey finished in the finest first fill XO rum casks to deliver sweet tropical flavours. With this XO Rum Cask Finish, we pay tribute to the role of Irish Immigrants in the development of rum in the Caribbean in the 17th Century. Irish heart and Caribbean soul, we call it the Beauty of Blend. We carefully select barrels previously used to age Demerara Rum to impart their distinctive tropical fruit and warm spice flavours to Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Irish Whisky.

Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish is the Original Triple Blend Irish whiskey with an additional finish in first fill XO Caribbean rum casks for sweet tropical notes.

Official tasting notes:

• Nose: Notes of vanilla and oak overlaid with citrus, ripe bananas and delicate spice
• Taste: Creamy smooth mouthfeel bringing out the deliciously deep caramel and banana notes with hints of dates and raisins
• Finish: Long and sweet with bananas and caramel lingering

What I say

Sampled during the #TullamoreDEW tweet tasting hosted by Tullamore D.E.W. and @TheWhiskyWire on 7th March 2018.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Dark gold (9/20), Medium, rounded droplets leave long fine legs
• Nose: Green malt and unmalted barley, estery and slightly spirity, sappy pine, wood polish, pear, pear drops, citrus, lime, with time vanilla
• Taste: Citric, lemon and lime, zesty, white pepper spice and cinnamon, creamy highland toffee, banoffee pie, grapefruit pith wee drop o water and this one’s much sweeter & smoother
• Finish: Long, bitter cream toffee and spices/citrus pith persist

Overall

Quality needs to be unlocked here, too much spirit, spice and strong citrus neat to be overly enjoyable. A drop of water reveals the creamy toffee & banana from the official tasting notes.

Score 81/100

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