The first cider cask finished Irish whiskey

William Grant & Sons’ Tullamore D.E.W. triple distilled, triple blend Irish Whiskey has launched the world’s first cider cask finished Irish whiskey exclusively in global travel retail and at the Tullamore D.E.W. visitor centre in Tullamore.

This unique edition combines two of Ireland’s oldest crafts, cider-making and whiskey-making. The result is described as “a rare and noble Irish whiskey that brings to life the essence of Ireland with notes of toasted oak, tinged with cider sweetness to engage and delight the palate of true Irish whiskey lovers”.  Due to the seasonal nature of the Irish apple harvest, Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish has limited production, made only between September and November each year.

The new product will be showcased in a Tullamore D.E.W. pop-up shop at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2, where the brand’s full range of products is available until the end of June. Customers can receive a personalised Tullamore D.E.W. passport when visiting the promotional space, allowing them to become Irish True as part of their journey. The interactive shop was developed by creative agency HRG (UK).

Andre de Almeida, William Grant & Sons regional director GTR Europe, says: “We always look to launch new travel retail exclusives for Tullamore D.E.W. in Ireland and specifically at Dublin airport, where we have a strong partnership with ARI. The new Cider Cask Finish is no exception to this and first results have been very encouraging.”

Shane O’Sullivan, ARI Ireland alcohol buyer, adds: “ARI is delighted to partner with Tullamore D.E.W. to bring this pop-up shop to Terminal 2. The new Cider Cask is a great way to show how innovation within the industry is bringing newness to our customers. This will be a welcome addition to the Irish Whiskey Collection at Dublin Airport.”

John Quinn, Tullamore D.E.W. global brand ambassador, comments: “To create Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish, we select the finest apples which were then freshly pressed to begin the journey of small-batch cider making. The pressed apples were then held in oak casks for several months.

“As the cider fermented, the tart-yet-sweet notes infused the bourbon casks, creating a layered complexity of nose and taste. We then siphoned all the fermenting cider, replacing it with precious Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey for a further three months of maturation.”

Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish is a 40% ABV triple distilled, triple blend Irish whiskey, available exclusively at global travel retail outlets.

About Tullamore D.E.W.
Tullamore D.E.W. is the world’s second largest Irish whiskey brand and has seen global sales double to more than 950,000 (9L) cases since 2005. Tullamore Distillery is located on a 58-acre site in Clonminch, on the outskirts of County Offaly. The location provides a good supply of quality, soft spring water from the nearby Slieve Bloom Mountains, ideal for the triple distillation process used in Tullamore D.E.W. The distillery is the first to be built on a greenfield site in Ireland in over 100 years and produces 1.84mla of triple distilled pot still whiskey and malt annually– the equivalent of 511,000 (9litre) cases per year. This figure is set to double by 2018.

Led by William Grant & Sons’ head engineer, John Stevenson, the €35 million investment involved more than 1,200 specialist distillery engineers and construction workers working a combined 475,000 days. The result is something distinctly Tullamore D.E.W. The Spirit Safe is uniquely designed in a triangular shape, referencing Tullamore D.E.W.’s complex triple-distilled, triple blend of all three types of Irish whiskey, while also paying tribute to the Grant family’s coat of arms which features its own trio of crowns.

15 June 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor