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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Evan Williams Black Label
Eagle Rare 12 Year and Evan Williams Black Label are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$50 – $80 vs. ~$14 – $18).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Evan Williams Black Label |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) +9 proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$14 – $18 ~$49 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.
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Evan Williams Black Label
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
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 slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label).