The fourth installment in the ever-expanding Egan’s Irish Whiskey lineup, Legacy Reserve is its most prized expression yet, a non-chill-filtered bottling that spends 15 years in bourbon casks before being bottled. Fancy decanter, at that.

Fans of Irish will find all of its elements here in full force — perhaps more than the typical Irish drinker will actually want. To wit:

The nose is gorgeous: nutty, nougaty, earthy, and honeyed, all at the same time. A pinch of herbal notes lingers beneath the surface, along with a lemon peel character that becomes more evident as the alcohol blows off. The palate starts off quite sweet, then quickly surfaces a hefty granary note — soothing, though, like cinnamon- and raisin-studded oatmeal. That lemon hint is here, alongside a significant and racy alcohol punch, while the finish leans more heavily on baking spice, pepper, and greener herbal notes.

It’s a bit heavy for the usually light and airy style that we’ve come to expect from Irish, but by doubling down on flavor it really showcases what Irish whiskey can do when it tries.

92 proof.

A- / $189

Egan's Single Malt Irish Whiskey Legacy Reserve 15 Years Old

$189

9

Rating

9.0/10

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