BOTM 11/10: Eagle Rare Single Barrel

[MissinER101]

I have seen on Binny's site they have a select barrel bottling, I'll be in the Chicago area first of the year, I'll have to wait till then to snag a couple bottles.

SOOO many bourbons; so little trunk space on a road trip!!!

[ODaniel]

I've always heard mixed reviews on this so I've yet to pick a bottle up. It's still on the list though, with some others in front of it. It's nice to see some good reviews of it here though.

[ErichPryde]

Eagle Rare Single Barrel was, for a long time, my go-to bourbon. I've had bottles that were okay, and I've had bottles that were great. I once had a bottle that was so freaking good that I wrote down the number code in the hopes the place I bought it had more with similar numbers- and they didn't.

Then I had a run of bottles I just didn't care for. I have not revisited ERSB since, which is probably a shame.... If I had the opportunity to taste a barrel before purchasing a bottle from that barrel, I'd be all over it. but that has not happened yet...

[PaulO]

I visited Chicago recently and came home with several 375ml bottles of the Binny's single barrel version of ER. I haven't opened any yet, but was glad to read Fishnbowljoe's positive review. I allways liked the regular version. When I first tried it, I also thought it was wheated. Later I found out it wasn't. I guess I've been on the quest to try new (to me) stuff and haven't had any ER for a year or so.

[foxflyer5]

ERSB is pretty good. ill grab it every now and then. i first had it when my brother showed up with it for Christmas. it was in the trunk of his car, and was quite chilled. i hate my bourbon chilled, but the flavor still held up really well. ive been a fan ever since.

[MJL]

I've had my fair share of Eagle Rare 10 year old, 17 year old and the older 101 proof versions (from both facilities that made it). I will re-examine a bottle soon to make a proper review but prior to that let me make a few comments from memory.

I got a memorable sweetness to this bourbon all the way through the tasting; from first taste to aftertaste. I do not find this sweetness to be disturbing or to be so overwhelming that it masks other, more complex flavors. I recognize some feel a liquor, especially a whiskey, with overwhelming sweetness is using that flavor to mask monotone flavor expressions. I do not feel this is the case with Eagle Rare. I recall somewhat complex flavors emerging (I'm going to have to resample to fill in the blank of what these complexities are) and an overall excellent bourbon that will stand its own when sampled straight or with some water.

[OscarV]

ER1B is very boring and I'd even say flat. IMHO.
I gave away my 2nd bottle of it after trying to like it, it's just bland.
But it doesn't have the pine/grass notes of the other bourbons from BT so that's a positive.

[p_elliott]

I have had like others have said have had good bottles of ERSB and some not so good bottles of ERSB but I have had some outstanding bottles of ERSB. This is where the bad part comes in they don't tell you the the barrel # so you can't go back and get more bottles of the outstanding ones. I like the ERSB better that the BTAC ER 17.

[White Dog]

ER1B is very boring and I'd even say flat. IMHO.
I gave away my 2nd bottle of it after trying to like it, it's just bland.
But it doesn't have the pine/grass notes of the other bourbons from BT so that's a positive.

My thoughts exactly. It's not poorly made, it's simply a dull experience, IMHO.

[RickF]

I think ERSB is one of the better values from BT. As a SB, there will be some differences between barrels. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have yet to have one I did not like. While I prefer RHF and Hancock's Reserve over ERSB, I like ESRB as well as Blanton's and better than ETL (maybe the bottle I have is not representative of the brand) or BT.