Egan's Legacy Reserve IV

Volume IV of the Egan’s Legacy Reserve series, released in 2021. It spent 17 years in former Bourbon barrels, then an additional year in Moscatel De Valencia casks. Each year's volume is a year older, with limited production of 1000 bottles per release. I received a sample from the Celtic Whiskey Club for this year's release. The aroma is somewhat subdued, perhaps due to the small sample size. 'Not harsh or overwhelming' could also describe it. It has notes of leather, blackberry, and orange, which is promising. Mmm! A rich, nutty taste unfolds into a burst of delightful fruitiness – hard to pinpoint exactly which fruits. The finish is a long, warm spiciness with a hint of tannic dryness. This is incredibly nice! What's even nicer is that I was fortunate enough to win a bottle as a prize during the Celtic Whiskey Club tasting session. Hooray!

An exceptional Irish spirit. It takes the finest qualities of traditional uisce beatha and magnifies them multiple times. A warm, inviting entry of lightly sweet malt with a subtle hint of Moscatel sets the tone. It has a medium body, a smooth and mellow mid-palate, enhanced by a gentle touch of oak and a warm embrace from the wine casks. The finish is quite long, concluding with light vine fruit. A testament to time, the blender's expertise, and the distiller's craftsmanship.

NOSE Reminiscent of old-fashioned strawberry taffy, malt, creamy vanilla, with hints of baking spice, Honey Nut Cheerios, and oak. The rich and elegant scent drifts gently from the glass. PALATE Features old-fashioned strawberry taffy, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, malty graham cracker, dried sultanas, banana, and notes of cocoa and oak. More robust and warming than the aroma, with even more fruity characteristics. FINISH Medium-long, with fruity sweetness, malt, grainy oak, cinnamon, and waxy vanilla.