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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Eagle Rare 12 Year and Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 53% corn, 39% wheat, 8% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years +6 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 106 proof (53% ABV) +11 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$50 – $55 ~$13 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/3 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 3 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10
fruit 6/8 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/2 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 7 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat: Because wheat makes up a massive 39% of the mash bill, this pour trades the aggressive spice of rye for a softer, oily mouthfeel. Expect bright fruit notes like ripe apricot and lemon on the nose, transitioning to pastry dough, light oak, and a creamy creme brulee sweetness balanced by a mild peppery backbone.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak with an older age statement.
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat if you want a softer, fruit-forward, contemporary profile with a richer, oily texture and lower emphasis on traditional oak at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat).