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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Wild Turkey 81
Eagle Rare 12 Year and Wild Turkey 81 are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$50 – $80 vs. ~$20 – $25).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Wild Turkey 81 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) +14 proof | 81 proof (40.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$20 – $25 ~$43 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year and Wild Turkey 81 do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Wild Turkey 81
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Wild Turkey 81
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 3 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
nuttiness 4/2 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 6 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 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.
- Wild Turkey 81: The same mash bill and No. 4 char as Wild Turkey 101, cut to 81 proof. Honey and toffee come through clearly, but the body and spice are much lighter.
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 more proof behind it.
- Go with Wild Turkey 81 if you want a lighter Wild Turkey built for mixing at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); highball, cocktails (Wild Turkey 81).