The club occasionally hosts what we like to call “Guest Nights.” These little events are a way to get people who are not members in on the action of what we do. And since we are obviously kind of a big deal, we had quite a few guests at our most recent one in April. They at first scoffed at the $100.00 entry fee, but BBQ Wieners get pricey.
We have a simple goal in terms of our selection: give the eager guest a classic sampling of a given style. For American whiskey, we gave them a good rye and a classic bourbon, Eagle Rare 10Yr Single Barrel. Eagle Rare is a Kentucky Straight bourbon made by Buffalo Trace Distillery. A few points of info before we get into the review…
Eagle Rare uses the same recipe as Buffalo Trace bourbon, but where it differs is that it is a single barrel whiskey. Whereas most bottlings are batched together by a small or large number of barrels of the same whiskey and then blended together (like Buffalo Trace), a bottle of Eagle Rare comes from a single barrel. This type of bottling is an opportunity for individuality of flavor, and no barrel is like another. Plus, the 10 year old aging period is an opportunity for some significant oak influence that the majority of bourbons on the shelf do not see. Let’s see how we worked our way through it…
SWC Group Review
Nose– Classic vanilla and butterscotch with some brown sugar notes. Buttery, soft corn comes through. Some floral notes of roses and hay reminiscent of the distillery’s standard bottling, Buffalo Trace.
Taste– More of those floral hints and some rye, but still sweet. Calm mouth feel.
Finish– Moderate to long, oaky char as it fades. Some spice and vanilla hits.
Comment– A solid, classic bourbon at a great value. Decent complexity and flavor.
SWC Rating- 87/100
Contact us at: SpokaneWhiskey@gmail.com
Spokane Whiskey Club 
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