Bourbon provides a sensory tour through sight, aroma, and taste that has made this spirit a required bottle in any respectable liquor cabinet. Buffalo Trace Distillery has produced bourbon for 200 years. The distillery’s portfolio of brands has garnered numerous awards. A review of Eagle Rare bourbon reveals why this amber elixir has earned so many medals. The extraordinary assortment of adjectives used to describe this Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is testament to the enthusiasm and delight of those who taste it.

Eagle Rare is aged for 10 years and produced at 45% ABV. Small quantities of a 17-year version are released once a year as one of five bourbons included in Buffalo Trace’s storied Antique Collection. Rarer still is the 20-year Double Eagle Very Rare, which comes in a handcrafted bottle featuring two glass crystal eagles. Here we refer to Eagle Rare 10-year, a well-priced bottle that provides excellent quality and value.

NOSE

The maker describes the aroma as complex, combining toffee, orange peel, herbs, honey, leather, and oak. Rhapsodic reviews of Eagle Rare bourbon report vanilla, fruity notes of cherry, caramel, and even melted chocolate. Suffice it to say, giving this bourbon a swirl and a good long sniff provides a robust olfactory payoff.

TASTE

Described as simultaneously bold and delicate, with hints of candied almonds and rich cocoa, the taste progresses from tart fruit sweetened with whispers of caramel and butterscotch to a muted oakiness and warmth that exceeds expectations based on ABV.

FINISH

Dry and spicy on the tail end of the taste, the finish lingers while maintaining the underlying sweet notes of dark fruit and chocolate wrapped in a bit of leather.

Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon is a fine selection for sipping straight, on the rocks, or with a whisper of water. With its Antique Collection, Buffalo Trace Distillery offers an impressive selection of fine bourbons. Buy rare bourbon online at VS Liquor for the best selection.