Compare
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Eagle Rare 10 Year
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Eagle Rare 10 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Eagle Rare 10 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 10 years +6 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$40 – $65 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Eagle Rare 10 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Eagle Rare 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Eagle Rare 10 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/4 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 4 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Eagle Rare 10 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
- Eagle Rare 10 Year: A 10-year age statement at a gentle 90 proof gives this a polished, dry-oak elegance rather than power. Toffee and orange peel lead into leather and dried fruit, with a long, notably dry finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it with more proof behind it.
- Go with Eagle Rare 10 Year if you want an elegant, older, low-proof sipper where refinement matters more than intensity with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 10 Year).