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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
On paper Eagle Rare 12 Year and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond are near neighbours — both traditional bourbons — so price (~$50 – $80 vs. ~$16 – $22) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years +8 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$16 – $22 ~$46 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 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.
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond: A bonded 100-proof bourbon at a price that barely seems possible, though distribution is patchy outside Kentucky. Unremarkable in the best way: it does everything a bourbon should and nothing extra.
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 Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded Kentucky bourbon for under twenty dollars, if you can find it in your state.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).