Whiskey Review: Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey

Introduction

This week on the Film & Whiskey Podcast, we're revisiting a classic: Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey. Or is it Tullamore “Dew”? The bottle label has periods (D.E.W.), but most references pronounce it simply as “Dew,” so we’re rolling with that.

Tullamore D.E.W. is one of the most recognizable names in Irish whiskey. We’ve covered it before—including a few of their barrel-finished variants like the Caribbean cask—but today we’re going back to the flagship expression.

This is a triple-distilled blended Irish whiskey that combines all three styles: malt whiskey, grain whiskey, and pot still whiskey. It’s bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV) and is non-age stated, though we know it’s at least three years old to meet Irish whiskey regulations.

Tullamore D.E.W. has long been positioned alongside Jameson as a go-to budget pour, and we wanted to see how it holds up in 2025. Is it still a solid pick for the price? Or are there better budget bottles out there?

Nose

Brad:
The nose has some really nice lemongrass. It’s a little earthy, a little citrusy. The honey is there. There’s a strong note of children's juice-box apple juice. Really pleasant, comes across nicely, very soft and gentle, as you would expect from an 80-proof Irish whiskey.
Score: 7/10

Bob:
I hate to call it cheap, but the cheapness comes through after a little while. On Irish whiskey, we almost always get bright citrus, appley notes—we get melon, we get peach and pear sometimes. And if that’s your baseline, the mark of quality is how long those gentle, subtle notes can hang on. This one is there up front, but 30 seconds in, the grain whiskey really takes over. It gets a little funky, like unflavored, unseasoned grain. It starts tipping into ethanol. So it’s good for what it is, but I could tell in a blind tasting this isn’t a super expensive whiskey.
Score: 7/10

Taste

Brad:
The palate is pleasant without being impressive. The apple juice is really, really strong here. Some nice floral notes. There’s honeydew, but it doesn’t quite get into the richer honey flavors I was hoping for. It’s pleasant and bright. I actually like it a little more than the nose—it’s very simple.
Score: 7.5/10

Bob:
In terms of pure enjoyment, this is like an 8.5 for me, but I’m going to give it an 8 overall. It’s simple, but once it hits the back of your palate, you get these cigarette ashy notes we often find in Irish whiskey. It transitions well—it’s not harsh or sudden with those bitter notes. I expected worse, honestly.

Finish

Bob:
This is where it takes a dip for me. It’s a long-lasting finish, but those bitter, green-forward, ashy notes really take over. It’s quite a bit more bitter than I’d like.
Score: 7/10

Brad:
I’m even lower than you on this one. My first note is “cigarette ash”—it is so ashy. There’s some green apple, but it’s kind of a sour apple you wouldn’t want to eat.
Score: 6/10

Balance

Bob:
This one drops off on the finish, and that would be more forgivable if the price was lower. It’s no longer a $20 whiskey, and I have to factor that in. Is it well balanced in a vacuum? Not really.
Score: 6/10

Brad:
I’m at 6.5 on balance. It’s interesting, but not complex. There’s not much evolution happening here.

Value

Brad:
This is sitting at $29 in Ohio, and probably around that nationwide. It’s not going to get gouged. I still think it’s a good whiskey worth drinking, but there are better options in the $30–$40 range.
Score: 7/10

Bob:
Yeah, that’s a 4, 4.5, 5 for me. I’ll land on 5/10. Jameson is the same price and I think it’s better. If Tullamore was undercutting them by five bucks, it’d be a great value. It’s a good mixer, especially with something like apple cider in the fall. But $30 for a mixer? That’s pushing it. If you’re already spending that, just save up ten more dollars and buy something good neat.

Final Scores

• Bob: 33/50

• Brad: 34/50

• Average: 33.5/50

Conclusion

So what’s the verdict on Tullamore D.E.W.?

At 33.5 out of 50, it falls just below our 35-point recommendation threshold, where we typically say it’s worth trying at a bar or buying a bottle. That said, it’s not a bad whiskey—it’s just slightly overpriced for what it offers.

If you’re brand new to Irish whiskey, this is a perfectly fine entry point, and at $1.50 for a 50 ml, it’s a low-risk experiment. But if you’ve been around the Irish whiskey block a few times, we think you’ll find more complexity and value in some of the bottles priced just $10 higher.

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