Eagle Rare 10 Years Old (45%, OB, 2016)

• Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 45%
• Cost: £38.33

What they say:

Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is masterfully crafted and carefully aged for no less than ten years. The rareness of this great breed of bourbon is evident in its complex aroma, as well as the smooth and lingering taste. Eagle Rare is a bourbon that lives up to its name with its lofty, distinctive taste experience.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Complex aromas of toffee, hints of orange peel, herbs, honey, leather and oak.

Taste: Bold, dry, oaky flavors with notes of candied almonds and very rich cocoa.

Finish: Dry and lingering.

What I say:

Thanks to Richard at Adventures In Whiskyland for the sample all the way from the US where this is much more available and a little cheaper than here in the UK. Produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery using their low rye mashbill similar to Buffalo Trace and George T. Stagg this expression is matured for a minimum of 10 years and represents the entry-level in the Eagle Rare stable.

Colour:

Rich caramelised demerara sugar gold (12/20), medium tears and medium legs

Nose:

Rich caramelised sugars, woody, sweet toffee and fudge, runny honey, polished oak wood, molten marshmallows, sweet limoncello

Taste:

Quite light on the palate and very smooth, honey and caramel sweetness is balanced with sweet & salted popcorn, bitter oak wood and a touch of white pepper, some unsweetened marmalade adds a bitter orange note.

Finish:

Short and sweet, caramel and bitter oaky orange

Overall:

Pay attention otherwise you may miss this one and it is gone. Too easy to sip on the palate I found myself preferring the nose on this Bourbon. Very drinkable as is, unchallenging and equally applicable to cocktail use as the palate is very smooth, subtle and well-integrated.

Score: 83/100

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