My second side-by-side comparison for 2021 and I am looking at two well-known Irish whiskey brands: Tullamore DEW vs the Jameson Irish whiskey. Jameson whiskey is the top-selling Irish whiskey in the world, by quite a significant number.
Second is Tullamore DEW with Bushmills following not far behind. I am not the biggest Jameson fan, so we had some fun over the weekend pitting with these two drams against each other. I did it in a blind tasting to take out the bias element.
Also Read: Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label whisky
Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey
Tullamore DEW is a brand of Irish whiskey produced by William Grant & Sons. The distillery was founded in 1829 by Michael Molloy in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. The Daly Family acquired the distillery after his death.
The brand changed hands various times, and William Grant and Sons purchased it in 2010. The whiskey is triple distilled, triple blended and triple cask matured. Tullamore DEW whiskey is matured in traditional refill casks, ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks.
Jameson Irish Whiskey
John Jameson, a lawyer from Scotland, founded the distillery in Dublin in 1780 and it was called Bow Street Distillery. All four sons followed in his distilling footsteps, and his son John Jameson II took over the family business. At the turn of the 19th century, it was a world-renowned whiskey.
It is part of the Pernod Ricard whiskey portfolio. Jameson whiskey is a blend of pot still and grain whiskey. Like all Irish whiskey, it is triple distilled. The Jameson Irish whiskey is aged for 4 years in oak.
Tullamore DEW vs Jameson Irish Whiskey
| Tullamore DEW Whiskey | Jameson Whiskey |
|
|---|---|---|
| Type | Irish Whiskey | Irish Whiskey |
| ABV | 43% | 43% |
| Colour | Light amber | Gold |
| Nose | Vanilla and caramel with hints of fresh flowers, butterscotch and citrus with subtropical fruit. In the background, there are faint hints of spice, moss and wood. After the addition of water, the spice and wood dominate the nose. | Freshly baked banana bread, tropical fruit with bits of spicy wood and caramel. Grain mixed with plums, pineapple. Complex and delicious. |
| Palate | Heaps of spice and oak with hints of grapefruit and lemon rind. Bits of toffee sweetness and malt. However, the peppery spice dominates everything. Adding water mellows out some of the spicy notes. | Very smooth. Medium body but the tropical fruit deliciousness promised by the nose is not there. Bits of malt, aniseed mixed with vanilla and pepper notes. Adding water softens the pepper notes. |
| Finish | Rather short and end in spicy notes | Short with pepper and orange rind. |
| My Rating | Very Good | Good |
| Comments | Quite a spicy whiskey. | The nose promised the world. However, it all fell flat on the palate. Not as complex as I was expecting after the delicious nose. |
| Price | $29 | $32 |
| Pairs well with | Irish Dubliner Cheese. | Hawaiian pizza, Smoked salmon, dried fruit. |
My tasting notes for the Tullamore DEW dates from 2016. Since then, my palate has evolved and matured from all the different whisky we taste. Putting these two Irish whiskeys next to each other show how much my tastes has changed.
The Tullamore DEW has notes of caramel, fresh flowers, oak, malt and nearly overwhelming pepper heat. It needs a few drops of water to tone down the spiciness. The Jameson brings notes of banana bread, tropical fruit, malt and vanilla. It has a unique and complex nose, but the nose does not continue on the palate.
The Tullamore DEW was rated ‘Very Good’, and I rated the Jameson whiskey as ‘Good’. However, in the blind tasting, the Jameson came out better than the Tullamore DEW. The Jameson whiskey’s nose is more elegant and inviting, and on the palate, the Jamesons is smoother.
In the Tullamore DEW, the tropical fruit, floral notes, and oaks are more pronounced on the palate than the Jamesons. However, the pepper spiciness of the Tullamore DEW overwhelms all the other tastes. Especially on the finish, the pepper spice of the Tullamore DEW drowns out the fruity sweetness. It is not as smooth as the Jameson, and the finish is shorter as well.
If I had to choose between the two Irish drams, my preference would be the Jameson Irish whiskey. It will never make my list of favourite brands. However, it is excellent for an Irish coffee in winter and this bottle will not go to waste.
Also Read: Teeling Single Malt vs Single Grain Irish Whiskey
George Karda
All can say this great lady Josephine Clancy who was the best grandmother one could ever have would be proud that her grandson had realized what exceptional taste she really had in Irish Wiskskey I solute you up their in heaven and thanks for those nice limericks you taught me over the years see ya some day
Stephen Wolstenholme
I ran out of Tullamore so I had to start on Jameston.
Whiskey Nut
Nice taste comparison!
Considering until recently both Jameson & Tullamore were made at Midleton Distillery it’s testament to the variety a single distillery can achieve.
Now William Grant’s whiskey at Tullamore is mature it might be entertaining to see if their is any change between older Tullamore bottlings & current editions.
Sláinte