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Irish

Egan's Centenary Irish Whiskey

OVERALL
RATING

8

Whiskey Review: Egan’s Centenary Irish Whiskey

Tasting Notes:

About:
Appearance:
The inviting light tint of dry hay in the sun winks at you from your glass when you pour out a dram of this blended whiskey.
Nose:
The first scent to hit my nose was of butterscotch candy. The sugars play with the nose quite a bit so I had to sift through the sweet scent to really grab hold of the more subtle wheat and oak flavors.
Palate:
My tastes in Irish whiskey are simple. I look for a smooth buttery texture, with a soft sweet nature and hopefully a bit of leather and oak chased by a subtle heat. Egan’s Centenary ticked a lot of the boxes for me but its heat was more forward then I prefer and lingered with a prickly nature. My first taste had a sharp tang followed by strong notes of baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. On the front of my tongue I found the buttery oak flavor I was looking for accompanied by a hint of red apple. Hoping to calm the fire a bit, I added a splash of water to see if the dilution would open it up and soften the sharper notes that hit me first. The fire did calm to a pleasant warmth. The oak and leather notes came forward more and the baking spices softened allowing for a much more subtle experience and a nice buttery texture to emerge. Regrettably I was unable to identify any new characteristics, just balanced out the already present ones.
Finish:
Comments:
Overall, this was a pleasant whiskey once reigned in with a little water or ice. I would not put it up on the same pedestal with my current front runner in the Irish whiskey market, John L. Sullivan, but I would keep it in the running alongside Jameson as a solid choice should you be in the market for a fiery Irish whiskey to enjoy with your friends the next gathering you have.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Intrepid Spirits. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.

From the rolling Green Hills to the craggy cliffs overlooking the mist coated ocean shores, Ireland embodies the return to simplicity that I look for in my whiskeys. I want to experience the countryside, taste the grass that waves in the wind. I want to feel the ocean spray on my face as I savor the rich, grain laced notes of my samplings that come across my desk. With Egan’s Centenary Irish Whiskey, I get much of this landscape but was left a little lacking in the character that was teased in their promotional material.

In the early to mid 1800s, the Egan name was associated with a respected and diverse business portfolio which included malting, brewing, and bottling ales, stouts and eventually, Whiskey. The Egan brothers behind P. & H. Egan Limited were regarded as not only astute businessmen but delivered a high standard of welfare for their workers, especially for the standards of the times.

The brand t eventually faded like so many other Irish whiskey labels until it was brought back in recent years by the namesake’s fifth and sixth generation, led by Maurice & Jonathan Egan. What I am reviewing today, Egan’s Centenary Irish Whiskey, is a limited edition that was blended to celebrate the passing of Henry Egan, the company’s co-founder.

Egan's Centenary Irish Whiskey
Egan’s Centenary Irish Whiskey (image via Intrepid Spirits)

Tasting Notes: Egan’s Centenary Irish Whiskey

Vital Statistics: A blend of single malt and grain whiskeys that is married in XO Cognac casks of French Limousin Oak, pulling together the final flavor profile. It is non chill-filtered and bottled at 46% ABV. Priced around $100 per 750 ml bottle, 5,995 bottles worldwide being made available.

Appearance: The inviting light tint of dry hay in the sun winks at you from your glass when you pour out a dram of this blended whiskey.

Nose: The first scent to hit my nose was of butterscotch candy. The sugars play with the nose quite a bit so I had to sift through the sweet scent to really grab hold of the more subtle wheat and oak flavors.

Palate: My tastes in Irish whiskey are simple. I look for a smooth buttery texture, with a soft sweet nature and hopefully a bit of leather and oak chased by a subtle heat. Egan’s Centenary ticked a lot of the boxes for me but its heat was more forward then I prefer and lingered with a prickly nature. My first taste had a sharp tang followed by strong notes of baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. On the front of my tongue I found the buttery oak flavor I was looking for accompanied by a hint of red apple.

Hoping to calm the fire a bit, I added a splash of water to see if the dilution would open it up and soften the sharper notes that hit me first. The fire did calm to a pleasant warmth. The oak and leather notes came forward more and the baking spices softened allowing for a much more subtle experience and a nice buttery texture to emerge. Regrettably I was unable to identify any new characteristics, just balanced out the already present ones.

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