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Eagle Rare 10 Year vs Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Eagle Rare 10 Year and Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 10 Year | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 10 years +6 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $65 | ~$45 – $55 |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 10 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Eagle Rare 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/6 spice: Eagle Rare 10 Year 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Eagle Rare 10 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Eagle Rare 10 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 10 Year 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Eagle Rare 10 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Eagle Rare 10 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Eagle Rare 10 Year: A 10-year age statement at a gentle 90 proof gives this a polished, dry-oak elegance rather than power. Toffee and orange peel lead into leather and dried fruit, with a long, notably dry finish.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Eagle Rare 10 Year if you want an elegant, older, low-proof sipper where refinement matters more than intensity with an older age statement.
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 10 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond).