• Nose – Freshly opened, it greeted us with a hit of instant alcohol – sharp! Then it started to have the more familiar whisky notes with a hint of vanilla, out popped a fruit basket, overripe bananas, sweet and pleasant, classic malt smell, not dry, in a comfortable band, caramel, taking time to open.. sweet milk chocolate

• Taste – It tingled on the tongue –  bright, sweet, yet surprisingly ‘thick.’ As it rested on the palate, it continued to remain sweet, then a bit of chocolate, gaining a salty then bitter turkish coffee quality, and finally a little sour, creamy element

• Finish – Mild spice with a bit of a kick

• Water – Made it much sweeter, harsher on the throat. Spoiled the whisky for some, enhanced for others…

Before the unveiling, one member kept saying how it reminded him of Irish whiskies sampled til date – spot on! Though it didn’t have the ‘sociable’ character of the Teeling Single Malt.

The Tullamore Dew Phoenix was released to celebrate the first aviation disaster in history and the re-opening of the Tullamore distillery. It also has a higher alcohol percentage than most Tullamores.

Official tasting notes – with slightly confusing information abut the ‘3 types’ of whiskies:

• Nose – Warm and spicy initially, then rich, toffee, vanilla notes become evident. The characteristic leafy, malty notes of Tullamore D.E.W. are enriched with deeper, toasted oak aroma and a hint of sherry nuttiness.
• Taste – The higher strength tingles on the tongue leaving a spicy pot still flavour. Addition of a little water releases layers of caramel sweetness, delicate floral notes and oak tannins.
• Finish – Long lasting with a lingering warmth. A perfect balance of oloroso sherry sweetness and spicy creamy pot still.

While we didn’t pick up on the nutty quality, the sherry was unmistakably there and ‘creamy’ is an excellent way to describe it overall.

• Up next… something very special from the US of A… Westland cask no 395 54.6%
• Followed by a meaty 18 year old from Scotland… Ledaig 18 year 46.3%