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Willett Pot Still Reserve vs Eagle Rare 12 Year
Willett Pot Still Reserve and Eagle Rare 12 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$45 – $60 vs. ~$50 – $80).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Willett Pot Still Reserve | Eagle Rare 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 ~$13 less | ~$50 – $80 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Willett Pot Still Reserve and Eagle Rare 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Flavor Profile
Willett Pot Still Reserve Eagle Rare 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/7 oak: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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.
- Go with Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve); neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year).