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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Put Eagle Rare 12 Year next to Four Roses Small Batch Select and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years +6 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +9 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$55 – $65 ~$5 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.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/7 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
fruit 6/8 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
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 Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).