Eagle Rare 10 Years Review

“And I Dream I’m an Eagle”

Country: USA

Brand: Eagle Rare

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Small Batch Whiskey 

Age: 10 Years

ABV: 45%
Whisky Review # 561

Colour: Copper with a touch of Orange.

Nose: Much Sweeter than the 17 years I tasted sometime ago. Less Oak as well. I find Sweet Corn, Apple Strudel sprinkled with Powder Sugar and Cinnamon, Buttered Toast, Toasted Nuts, Honey, Syrup, Vanilla, Caramel, Orange, Oak Char, Cocoa Powder, Banana Bread Dough, Acetone, Sweet Popcorn and a sprinkle of Nutmeg. It's a relatively Light nose and most of the Aromas are not
very pronounced. It's okay but it doesn't invite you to smell for a long time. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.  

Taste: The Delivery is a little Thin despite the adequate ABV. It's mostly Bitter-Sweet and it gets quite Dry towards the end. It's also more Spicy than you would expect after Nosing. I find Sweet Corn, Vanilla, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Buttered Toast, Orange, light Honey, Toasted Nuts, Cocoa Powder, Licorice, Pepper, Winter Spices, light Rye, Charred Oak and Dried Herbs.

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and quite Dry towards the end. The Oak is much more noticeable by now. I find Sweet Corn, Toffee, Tutti Frutti Bubble Gum, Acetone, light Rye, light Honey, Cherry Flavoured Cough Drops, Oak Char and a sprinkle of Cinnamon, Pepper, Cardamom and Dried Herbs.

The Eagle Rare 10 Whiskey does not improve with added Water. You do get a little extra Banana Ice Cream on the Palate. Otherwise it becomes too Thin.

Rating: 83 

Nose: 20.5 – Taste: 20.5 – Finish: 21 – Overall: 21

General Remarks: Eagle Rare is one of the many Whiskey Brands produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Today, this Distillery is owned by the Sazerac Company. Eagle Rare uses the Buffalo Trace # 1 Low Rye Mash Bill. Until recently it was sold as a Single Cask Whiskey. The ABV was lowered to 90 Proof (45% ABV) in 2005. It's mostly sold in the 25-40 US Dollar range.  

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but nothing special. 

Conclusion: There's nothing really wrong with this Eagle Rare 10 Years Whiskey but perhaps for the fact that it's a little Light and Thin on respectively Nose and Palate. It's perfectly drinkable, both Neat and on the Rocks and it's got a good Price/Quality ratio. It just completely misses the "Wow" factor. You will have forgotten all about it the moment you have finished your glass. It's also quite different from its 17 Year old brother. It is more comparable to the Standard Four Roses Bourbon. In short, a good day-to-day Bourbon but nothing really special.    

Jan van den Ende                                                             September 26, 2016

Buffalo Trace Distillery