Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon Review

Name: Eagle Rare 10 Year
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Type & Region: Bourbon, Kentucky, USA
Alcohol: 45%
Composition: Mash #1, speculated to be 75% corn, 10% rye, 15% barley
Aged: 10 years in virgin American white oak
Color: 1.2/2.0 on the color scale (chestnut, oloroso sherry)
Price: $30 (750mL)
Eagle Rare 10 is one of the many Buffalo Trace products made from the lower-rye Mash #1 that includes Buffalo Trace, EH Taylor Small Batch, and Stagg Jr. Unlike all the others, Eagle Rare carries a 10-year age statement, although I’ve read rumors that it could be older. In years past, Eagle Rare was a single barrel bourbon, but that changed when bottling switched from hand to machine-bottled, creating the chance that different barrels might mix.
Eagle Rare 10 review
Smell
The first sniff reveals a light and delicate mix of sweet mashed corn, caramel, honey, vanilla, citrus, and a dark fruit I can’t quite identify, mixed-in with woody oak and minty rye. It’s has nice woody, spicy, and fruity qualities with minimal heat, attributed to the “lower” 45% alcohol. Swirling releases more charred wood, nuts, pine, mint, and rye, likely coming from the wood and not so much from the low-rye mash.
The agitated alcohol nicely accentuates the mint like the scent of a freshly opened pack of peppermint gum bursting from the wrapper. It also releases light vanilla frosting, orange and vanilla creamsicle, and the faintest hint of dark fudge and dried oranges. When the glass is empty, I smell bright mint and musty rackhouse wood. The nose is light but not lacking in character and complexity.

Taste & Aftertaste
Moderate wood, spice, and mint immediately hit my tongue, followed by caramel and some alcohol heat. The first taste is not particularly complex, but “chewing” the second time around unveils orange, plum, more caramel, honey, and vanilla sweetness in addition to the existing wood, pine, and mint. There’s also a lightly nutty taste mixed with stewed corn. The alcohol remains reserved throughout, adding a little body to the otherwise thinner mouthfeel that’s a little rougher and unrefined than expected for a 10 year old bourbon.
Wood tannins initially linger throughout, mixed-in with vanilla, fruit, rye, and caramel. The woodiness transitions into chocolate and then light and tangy orange. “Chewing” really changes the finish. Wood and pine are still present, but a slightly stronger nuttiness appears as well as fleeting notes of coconut, fading into a lasting mint. It all makes my mouth feel a little dry. The taste is overall very pleasant and enjoyable, but not nearly as outstanding as something that flies off the shelves should be.
Eagle Rare 10 is pretty good. It’s well balanced and has essentially everything you could want in a bourbon but is a little rougher than I think it should be. The flavors could be there, but they’re held back and dulled by the lower proof that doesn’t allow it to showcase everything it has to offer.
This review comes from www.thewhiskeyshelf.com.