Eagle Rare 10 year is now a single barrel offering; I think that's a recent thing but I could be wrong. It's also a bourbon that causes mass panic and FOMO-inspired rage among Ontario bourbon customers. The online whiski world is awash with accusations of LCBO conspiracies, people with secret insider information plotting to deprive others of this nectar of the gods, etc. It's all a bit much, frankly. Some people need to take a step back. Of course, I'm not immune to this herd behaviour. When I happened to notice this was available for purchase online, I bought two bottles even though I'd never tried Eagle Rare. Well, let's see what the hype is about.
Tasting notes
From a compilation of notes tasting the whiskey neat using a Libbey Bourbon glass, a Glencairn, and a mini Laphroaig-branded Glencairn. I'm not sure if the branding affects the taste but I always aim for full disclosure.
- Nose: dark fruit, oak, caramel, floral notes, some baking spices (cinnamon and clove), honey
- Palate: rich arrival and full bodied despite the low-ish abv, dark oak notes, maple syrup, dark cherries, a touch of leather, vanilla, honey, some baking spices
- Finish: long with oak lingering, more maple syrup and baking spices, dark fruits again, and a bit of strong black tea (I often get this on the very end of BT products like Stagg Jr and standard BT).
- Thoughts: I like it. I like it a lot. I'm glad I bought two bottles. I hate to agree with the popular consensus, but $56 for a 10 year single barrel bourbon is a great value and Eagle Rare lives up to the hype. Well, at least this first bottle did. Who knows if my other bottle came from the same barrel? I should note, however, that screeching at LCBO employees is never justified, no matter how good a product is.
@casualtorture Yeah the secondary/Facebook market for ER (and Blanton’s) is insane. At $55 or so in Ontario, I suppose it’s worth it for the 10 year age statement and SiB designation. I enjoy this one and I’d buy it again…but not at $120 or more.
I got a bottle of this back when it wasn't as, popular, shall we say. Agreed, for around $40 it's a good bourbon. My bottle went relatively quick as I wasn't aware of the soon-to-come scarcity of it.