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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Eagle Rare Bourbon

bourbon

In the 12th century, water was unsafe to drink; thus, people opted to drink whiskey, a beverage whose Gaelic name meant “water of life.” Americans love whiskey, and although World War II halted most whiskey production, by 1964, Bourbon had become a “Native Spirit for Americans.” The drink has steadily grown in popularity, and among the many brands you will find in the market is the Eagle Rare Bourbon. You can learn more about it from these ten facts.

1. It Has Won Several Medals

Eagle Rare Bourbon swept the Bourbon categories during the 2020 International Whiskey Competition (IWC). The whiskey claimed four first-place medals as it was named the Best Bourbon Whiskey, Best Kentucky Whiskey, Best Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Best American Whiskey. It scored 93 points after tasting and rating by a professional tasting panel.

2. It Was One of the Whiskeys Involved in a Bourbon Scandal

Selling the Eagle Rare Bourbon is such a profitable business that a syndicate was involved in stealing Bourbon and anabolic steroids. According to The Drinks Business, nine members of a criminal gang were indicted in 2015. One of them was Gilbert Curtsinger, who admitted to distributing around 20 cases of Eagle Rare Bourbon, 28 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle family Bourbons, barrels of Wild Turkey Bourbon, and 20 cases of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon. The theft of the Bourbon valued at least $100,000 happened over seven years.

3. It is a 90-Proof Whiskey

Whether you go for a 10-year old Eagle Rare Bourbon bottle, 17-year-old or 20-year-old, one thing is constant; they have the same alcohol content of 45%. For this reason, the whiskey is regarded as 90-proof. Proof is twice the alcohol content by volume such that 45% translates to 90-proof while 40% equates to 80-proof. Usually, the higher the proof, the stronger the drink. Consequently, Eagle Rare Bourbon is safe to drink compared to other alcoholic beverages such as Everclear, whose 60%-95% alcohol content makes it unsafe to drink straight.

4. Which is the Best Eagle Rare Bourbon?

According to Alcohol Volume, despite all Eagle Rare bottles having the same alcohol content, the middle-aged bottles are much better compared to younger and older ones. One expert American distiller, Dave Pickerell, opined that young whiskeys such as the ten-year-old bottles are flavorful, but they do not have a finishing taste in the consumer’s mouth. Older whiskey bottles such as the 20-year-old have the highest flavor levels but do not have a roughness to them. His observation aligns with the traditional whiskey-making process because the more the whiskey is aged, the more complex the taste coupled with a long-lasting finish.

5. It Does Not Have Carbs

Eagle Rare Bourbon, like other pure forms of whiskey, does not contain any carbs. A single serving of the drink can contain 69 calories. However, no matter how excited you are about the lack of carbs, whatever you mix it with could determine if you see the pounds piling whenever you step on the weighing scale. Mixing it with sweeteners, soda, or juice will turn the no-carb drink into a high-carb beverage. Therefore, if you are concerned about your weight, the best mixers should be keto-friendly such as diet soda or sugar-free tonic water.

6. Why the Original 101-Proof Ten-Year-Old Non-Single Barrel was Discontinued

The Eagle Rare Bourbon 101 was discontinued in March 2005, and a single barrel of Eagle Rare 10 debuted, replacing it. Although no explanation was offered regarding the discontinuation, it was clear that it probably had to do with the health impact of the drink. The whiskey had 50.5% alcohol content which is high and results in serious health issues. Besides, such high content meant that the drink would only appeal to the crème de la crème of the society because the bottles were very expensive.

7. Its Variations

Bourbon Fool published that the Eagle Rare Bourbon has a variety of variations, among which is the Double Eagle Rare. This whiskey is 20-year-old Bourbon in a crystal decanter, and the sculpted eagles on the bottle identify it as an Eagle Rare. The authenticity is enhanced by the silver presentation box and an individually numbered letter. Another variety is the hard-to-find 17-year-old, and the readily available and affordable Eagle Rare 10. The Eagle Rare 10's affordability makes it one of the most successful brands that Buffalo Trace offers.

8. Its History

MyBottleShop details the history of the Eagle Rare Bourbon, saying that it dates back to 1975 when Four Roses introduced it. The master distiller was Charles L. Beam, who had been hired by Four Roses Distillery in 1962. In six years, he rose the ranks to become the fourth master distiller. He invented the Eagle Rare Bourbon, which Four Roses sold to Buffalo Trace. His contribution to the alcohol industry did not go unnoticed, and after his death in 2007, Beam was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of fame in 2010, posthumously. He became the 9th of 11 Beam family members to be inducted into the Bourbon Hall of fame.

9. It is One of the Most Expensive Bourbons

In the list that Advanced Mixology published in March 2021, Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the most expensive Bourbons worldwide. The Double Rare 20-year-old Bourbon goes for $20,354, a price that is attributed to its rarity. As per the article, only 299 decanters were released, and it comes in an exceptional silver box that lights up when you open it.

10. Why It Is Referred to as “Rare.”

While the hefty price tag of the Double Rare Bourbon will have you thinking it is hard to find it anywhere, that is far from the reality. It is only hard to find the brand in local stores, but online purchasing will cater to your needs. Therefore, do not be surprised that as the Double Rare goes for over $20k, the 750ml Eagle Rare 10-year-old variety will have you parting with $30 only.

Lily Wordsmith

Written by Lily Wordsmith

Lily Wordsmith is a freelance writer who has had a love affair with the written word for decades. You can find her writing blog posts and articles while sitting under a tree at the local park watching her kids play, or typing away on her tablet in line at the DMV. In addition to her freelance career, she is pursuing ebook writing with an ever-growing repertoire of witty ebooks to her name. Her diversity is boundless, and she has written about everything from astrobotany to zookeepers. Her real passions are her family, baking desserts and all things luxe.

Read more posts by Lily Wordsmith

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