Eagle Rare 10 Year Store Pick Review
In-Depth Review
Buffalo Trace. The biggest name in the bourbon industry right now. Their products, known all around the world, have created a lot of the frenzy we see in bourbon today. Everything from the bottom shelf Ancient Age, to the highest echelons of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection produce strong opinions and die-hard fans. But even the biggest detractors have to admit, Buffalo Trace is on a roll. They are consistently churning out great products, at great prices (if found at MSRPs), and have pushed the industry to keep reinventing itself. A lot of the excitement felt across the industry today is based on Buffalo Trace products.
Somewhere in the middle of the core Buffalo Trace range lies Eagle Rare. A 10-year product that is known for producing woody, rich flavors that punch well above its price. While Eagle Rare used to be a single barrel product, it has recently lost that designation and instead may now contain distillate from more than one barrel. Eagle Rare has been produced since 1975 and was purchased by Sazerac (who owns Buffalo Trace) in 1989. There are two variations of Eagle rare, the 10 year old product and a 17 year old version. Eagle Rare 17 is part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection that is released in limited quantities every Fall. Eagle Rare 10 clocks in at a solid 90 proof while Eagle Rare 17 boasts a stronger 101 proof. The 10 year version can be found at almost every liquor store in California while the 17 requires giving up your first-born child to buy.
Let’s take a look at a special store pick Eagle Rare picked by the great folks over at Everson Royce in Pasadena.
Age: 10 Year
ABV: 45%
Cask: Charred New Oak Barrels
MSRP: $30
Distillery Name: Buffalo Trace
Review Date: 12/13/20
Store Pick: Everson Royce in Pasadena, CA
Color: Deep Gold
Nose: First impressions are floral, woody and sweet. There is butterscotch and a tinge of ethanol. As the whiskey sites in the glass, more char and cherry appear. It begins to smell like you’re walking through a BBQ restaurant. There are richer, darker, meatier flavors coming to the forefront that take the place of the floral and perfume notes that shoot out initially.
Palate: Wood spice is what hits the palate first. Burned caramel, with cinnamon, cardamon, and a touch of hazelnut. Rich and big flavor in this pick. This is a much bigger and bolder Eagle Rare expression than typical bottles I have had. More sweetness comes through as you continue to sip. Tobacco and cocktail bitters round out the remaining palate. The flavors are deep and rich, with a good mouthfeel that feels much weightier than 90 proof would suggest.
Finish: Quick finish. More smoked BBQ meats move into sweet vanilla and fruit. As the whiskey lingers on the tongue it turns very dry with, sawdust and leather creating a flash of bitterness at the end.
Final Thoughts: This is a great pick of a normally excellent whisky. In full disclosure, I am a huge fan of Eagle Rare. It’s been my daily drinker for about 2 years. Typically, I enjoy the subdued and easy drinking nature of Eagle Rare. But this pick from the team at Everson Royce seems to crank up the flavors to 11, with a deeper and more complex palate that features BBQ meats and interesting hazelnut and cardamon notes. This is a great everyday whiskey that punches significantly above its price point. The finish is on the drier than other Eagle Rare bottles I’ve had, but that doesn’t overshadow an otherwise great take on my everyday whiskey.
Score: 90
