Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Egan’s Whiskey. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
Even though they’re pretty new to being in the whiskey industry themselves, Maurice and Jonathan Egan are the fifth and sixth iterations of Egans running a family business that’s been centered in part around spirits for a very long time. They like to think of Egan’s as a relatively new brand with a rich and storied history, deeply ingrained in Ireland’s history and journey to independence. Together, Maurice and Jonathan hand selected barrels to bottle and release as Egan’s Legacy Reserve – aged 15 years in ex-American bourbon barrels, and the focus of this review.
The history of Egan’s is reflective of how they are able to work with the whiskeys they get their hands: it’s old and also very new. Patrick and Henry Egan founded P&H Egan Ltd. in Tullamore, Ireland in 1852. P&H at first had their hands in a wide array of ventures, including grocery stores, hotels, breweries and bank bonds. The Egan’s soon became known for the quality of their beers and spirits. Many years later, the company shut down because of what was said to be “an inability to compete with multinationals.” Egan’s would see itself rebuilt by their family again in 2013, releasing their 10 year single malt, and Vintage Grain.
It is unknown where Egan’s sourced the barrels for this limited release, but it matters not – their skills at hand selecting this release have proven to create a winner.
Tasting Notes: Egan’s Legacy Reserve Irish Whiskey
Vital Stats: Single malt, mash bill is 100% barley, and 46% ABV. It’s non-chill filtered, and aged in American bourbon casks for 15 years. They only made 1000 bottles of this reserve. It can range in price from $160 – $200 per bottle.
Appearance: It’s a light golden color, thickish legs that trickle down and leave oily lines that slowly dissipate.
Nose: The nose is creamy, soft and bold at the same time. The sweet cream and brighter lemon zest, peppercorn and charred oak. It’s incredibly well balanced, with almost no bite at all. Remarkably fragrant, but not overwhelming.
Palate: Egan’s Legacy Reserve is creamy, silky and has a very full mouthfeel. It’s seriously, wow, oh my gosh, amazing. The front has bright citrus notes, sweet whipped cream and black pepper, followed by a delightfully long and chewy finish. The grand finale crescendos into this big final note of chocolate covered cherries and caramel, that slowly dissipates. The background notes are more oaky, savory and smokey. I feel lost for words to describe how seriously good this whiskey is. The finish lingers seemingly forever, dissipating slowly into sweeter wood and apple flavors.
Trending Stories
Latest News