Eagle Rare’s replacement for its ten-year vatting is a ‘crackerjack’ in the glass, says Steve Notman.
What is it Single barrel bourbon is one of my guilty pleasures and my father’s go-to whiskey is Buffalo Trace with a cup of medium to dark roasted arabica coffee. Eagle Rare is also produced at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. It was launched in 1975 for the domestic market and was historically bottled at 101 proof as a ten-year-old vatting. This release, however, ceased in 2005 with Eagle Rare 10-Year-Old Single Barrel taking its place. The portfolio of bourbon made at Buffalo Trace also includes Pappy Van Winkle. But while this iconic and highly revered Pappy sits within the wheat mash bill, the mash bill for Eagle Rare consists of the more common trio of corn, rye and malted barley.
What it tastes like Bottled at 45 per cent or 90 proof, there’s orange peel, caramel, leather, toasted oak, brown sugar and vanilla on the nose – I could sit and enjoy the aroma all day. The palate immediately presents the signature rye menthol and spice notes wrapped in caramel, leading to a medium to long menthol spice finish with honey. An absolute crackerjack of a release.
