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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Willett Pot Still Reserve
Eagle Rare 12 Year and Willett Pot Still Reserve are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$50 – $80 vs. ~$45 – $60).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Willett Pot Still Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$45 – $60 ~$13 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year and Willett Pot Still Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Willett Pot Still Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/6 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- 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.
- Willett Pot Still Reserve: Famous first for the pot-still-shaped decanter and second for the whiskey, which is a fair ordering. Pleasant, sweet and fruit-leaning, with a good deal of the price attached to the glass.
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.
- Go with Willett Pot Still Reserve if you want a distinctive bottle on the shelf and an easy, fruit-forward pour inside it at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve).