There was a time (and in some states still is a time) when you could walk in and purchase a bottle of Eagle Rare in the mid $20 price point. Depending on where you live, Eagle Rare is now a borderline rare bottle that inspires truck chasers to wait in long lines for a chance to sample it. While one can debate the virtue (and value) of doing this, one thing isn’t up for debate. Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon is in fact very tasty for the MSRP.
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon
Sight: A beautiful copper that leans toward oloroso sherry.
Smell: Beautiful notes of ripe, red cherries waft out followed by notes of caramel, roasted almonds, and spices ranging from nutmeg to cinnamon. The background has an almost mulled wine like character with cooked berries and orange notes. The nose has just the slightest about of heat and has a good oak backbone that doesn’t shine too aggressively.
Sip: The mouth feel is smooth and the texture is well rounded. The immediate flavor profile starts out with cherries, hints of orange, and touches of caramelized sugar. Hints of plums and spices enter back in before giving way to cigar box, cherry jam, and toasted oak.
Savor: The ending builds on the cherry notes and baking spices. It leans dry, and lingers for a long period of time bringing in more char.
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon is delightfully complex and well rounded with a slightly dry finish. The complexity of the nose is matched by the great texture and complex flavor on the palate. The flavor profile is also dynamic, evolving throughout the experience of sipping it. It continues to open up new dimensions of itself. The most impressive part is the value, which at $30 is exceptional.
In Cocktails
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon plays delightfully in cocktails if you can bring yourself to spare it for the application. The flavors of cherry accentuate the nuances of the sweet vermouth and building on both the spice of the bourbon and the bitters. The net result is a smooth Manhattan that’s well rounded between fruit, spice, and sweetness. In an Old Fashioned, it amplifies the spice elements while providing a red fruit hint from the bourbon.
In Review: Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon
Eagle Rare is an exceptionally good bourbon for the $30 price point. The hardest part of Eagle Rare is reliably finding it. While some states are known to have heavy allocations (to the point that it’s regularly available on their shelves), other states [like Ohio] are subject to some fairly out of control tatering. This could unfortunately means you’ll be driving out of state or sitting in lawn chair on delivery day to try to get bottle of Eagle Rare. That said, if you find it at retail, you should absolutely buy a bottle. The tight supply regrettably means that Eagle Rare will not be added to our recommended list of bottles for starting a home bar.