Skip to main content

Irish Heart with Caribbean Soul: Tullamore D.E.W. Releases Rum Cask-Finished Whiskey

How does one make Irish whiskey better? A couple of answers come to mind. Some may be saying, “You can’t! It’s already perfect!” Others may be saying, “Add more whiskey!” For the minds behind Tullamore D.E.W., the answer was “Finish it in a rum cask!”

tullamore dew xo rum cask finish 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

They weren’t wrong. The resulting product, Tullamore D.E.W. XO Rum Cask Finish, is the latest permanent expression from the distillery and tastes pretty damn good.

Recommended Videos

To create the whiskey, the Tullamore team took their original whiskey and experimented by finishing it a variety of different rum casks (at any given time there are multiple experiments going on, which have yielded, among other products, the Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask finish). The winning type of casks were those filled with Demerara rum, which impart tropical and spice notes onto the whiskey.

The rum was also a product of the company’s latest campaign, The Beauty of Blend,which highlights that, much like Tullamore D.E.W., blending impacts just about everything and everyone for the better.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Taking a step back from Tullamore D.E.W., it’s important to note that during the 16th and 17th centuries, tens of thousands of Irish immigrated to the Caribbean. Once there, they blended their knowledge of whiskey distilling with the local rum distilling knowledge to making everything better — and everyone a little bit boozier — in the process. The release’s label reflects this heritage and inspired by trade maps and passport stamps.

(To wit, Irish Jamaicans are still the second-largest population on the island after Jamaicans with African ancestry.)

Enough history, though — we know you’re here for whiskey, and whiskey you will get.

tullamore dew xo rum cask finish 3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the nose, you’ll find vanilla and oak playing against citrus notes and the slightest bit of spice. The body is smooth and creamy, with tropical banana notes mixing with caramel and raisins, followed by a long finish full of ripe dates and a little more spice. Those who are familiar with Tullamore D.E.W.’s triple-distilled whiskeys will get all that they already know and love and then some.

Great on its own, Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish also works great as half of a D.E.W. and a brew. While a nice Irish stout goes wonderfully with the classic Tullamore D.E.W., we recommend an IPA that gives off the tropical citrusy notes that would only boost those flavors in the whiskey (some options include Sierra Nevada’s Tropical Torpedo or Green Flash Brewing’s Spanish Trampoline, which you can read more about here.)

Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish is 43 percent ABV, retails for around $27, and will be a permanent addition to the Tullamore D.E.W. line — a great thing to remember if you’re looking for something new to break into on St. Patrick’s Day. If Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish isn’t going to do it, though, you could always head to the Caribbean for a vacation.

Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Miller’s got a beer-pouring fireplace just in time for the in-laws
A sudsy setup inspired by a winter hearth
Miller Lite YuleLager.

Miller Lite is taking the whole drink in front of the fireplace thing quite literally. Today, the macro brewer released YuleLager, or a beer-pouring fireplace inspired by the famous yule log. Now, folks can have a good nightcap drink before a beer-dispensing pretend hearth.

What's included? For starters, an LED screen playing an 8-hour loop of burning wood. You also get a pouring contraption meant to look like a chimney withe a custom tap handle. What's more, there's audio mimicking crackling fire sounds, spare beer storage, and hooks to hang stockings.

Read more
Long black vs. Americano: Which coffee packs more punch?
For coffee drinkers with a refined palate
Americano coffee on a wooden table

When it comes to coffee, everyone has their own personal preferences, and they usually stray from their normal order. But that's not always the case. Even coffee drinkers who generally prefer black coffee's bold, slightly bitter taste will occasionally feel the desire to change their coffee orders.

Black espresso drinks, such as the long black or the Americano, deliver an even stronger taste than plain black coffee. While the long black and the Americano contain just water and espresso, the preparation for the long black vs. Americano espresso is entirely different. Here's what you need to know about each beverage's differences in taste and preparation.
What is a long black?

Read more
Laws Whiskey House is relaunching two limited-edition finished whiskeys
Jusr in time for the Holidays, Laws is releasing two popular whiskeys
Laws Whiskey House

Colorado-based Laws Whiskey House has been crafting high-quality, award-winning whiskeys since it opened in 2011. Just in time for the holidays, the popular distillery is relaunching two of its most popular limited-edition expressions: Honey Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey and the Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey finished in a Cognac Foeder.
Honey Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This whiskey begins when raw, unprocessed honey is added to Four Frain Straight Bourbon barrels. Afterward, the same barrels are filled with more Four Grain Straight Bourbon for more maturation. This creates a complex whiskey known for its flavors of candied orange peels, herbal tea, ripe berries, honey, and classic bourbon aromas and flavors.
Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey finished in a Cognac Foeder

Read more