Like Eagle Rare 10 Year, Eagle Rare 12 Year uses Buffalo Trace’s Mashbill #1, which is believed to be a low-rye mashbill consisting of 10% or less rye. According to Buffalo Trace, the creation of Eagle Rare 12 Year is the result of the company’s 10 year, $1.2 billion expansion project. Barrels of Eagle Rare 12 Year are from “meticulously-monitored warehouses with each barrel hand-selected by the distillery’s expert team.” The bourbon officially launched in June 2025 and is an ongoing release. Eagle Rare 12 Year joins the Eagle Rare brand lineup of Eagle Rare 10 Year, Double Eagle Very Rare, Eagle Rare 25, as well as Eagle Rare 17 Year, which is part of the company’s annually released Antique Collection.

A rush of caramel is followed by scents of chestnut and seasoned oak that are accentuated by the whiskey’s proof. Boarding on prickly at times, these scents are potent, but as they begin to recede, sweet brown sugar and cocoa powder take their place. Midway, fruit arrives in the form of orange peel, light grape, and citrus, adding dimension and contrast. But before it’s all over, toasted marshmallow is added, ending the aroma with a sweet and toasted element that works quite well. Thanks to its potency and complexity, the aroma makes a lasting impression.

A dominant brown sugar note hits first and is the highlight of the palate. It’s warming and features a mouth-coating viscosity that works exceptionally well, setting the drinker up for a classic tasting bourbon flavor profile. Toffee follows, with notes of burnt caramel, vanilla, and light black cherry, adding decent complexity. While the palate isn’t as complex as the rest of the sip, its warm brown sugar does a great deal to compensate, demonstrating that fine-tuning even a small aspect of a bourbon has lasting effects.

The medium-length finish is the most standout aspect of the sip, but it also isn’t without its faults. Anchored by a light, astringent note of aged oak, the whiskey’s age is most evident in its finish, resulting in a deeper overall flavor. Cinnamon graham cracker, leather, dry oak, baking spices, and black pepper result in a finish that features more depth and overall richness compared to what came before it. Though enjoyable and well put together, its mild astringency won't be for everyone. But thanks to lingering rich vanilla and caramel notes, many will be completely satisfied by it.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon has always been a favorite among bourbon drinkers, especially those getting into the hobby. It features a classic bourbon flavor profile at its core, leaning sweet and accented by fruity notes. Featuring a 10 year age statement and from one of bourbon’s most well-known Kentucky distilleries, demand is always strong for it.

Eagle Rare 12 Year doesn’t veer too far from the 10 Year’s course - and that’s to be expected, especially coming from Buffalo Trace who puts a lot of attention on consistency. Adding just two more years of aging and five more proof points doesn’t result in a transformative pour, but noticeable differences do exist. The 10 Years’ fruity notes are paired down and land a touch deeper in flavor (the grape note transforms into more of a dark cherry note, for example). Oak is a much more dominating force with the 12 Year, and that results in a drier astringent oak note in the bourbon’s finish. Black pepper and baking spices notes are also much more prominent, resulting in a familiar but slightly tweaked delivery. Beyond the palate’s excellent warm brown sugar note, Eagle Rare 12 Year doesn’t stray far from what you already know of the brand.

Buffalo Trace typically prices their non-limited edition bourbons with affordability in mind. Eagle Rare 10 Year is $38, and Weller 12 Year is $70. Due to the company’s popularity and in-demand bourbons, these prices aren’t often what many people actually spend for them. Outside of Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek 12 Year is $65, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year is $95, and Evan Williams 12 Year is $130, to name a few. Gone are the days when you could find Elijah Craig 12 Year for $28.

Age statements aren’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to bourbon, but they do hold value. Pricing Eagle Rare 12 Year at just $12 more than the 10 Year is a bold move, especially when their competitors are priced higher or when many don’t even offer a similar age statement. Given its approachable flavor profile and proof, consumers will easily gravitate towards it for its SRP. Given what Buffalo Trace bourbons go for on the secondary or over-eager store owners, be careful not to pay much more beyond the suggested price, as the value you typically would be getting erodes as the price increases.

Buffalo Trace says Eagle Rare 12 Year Bourbon will be an ongoing product, but that typically doesn’t mean much when it comes to the company’s high-demand products, which tend to go for more than the asking price. With over 9 million barrels aging in their rickhouses, at some point, the company will have to loosen its rickhouse doors. For many bourbon drinkers, Eagle Rare 12 Year will strike a perfect sweet spot in terms of price, proof, age, and flavor. Enthusiasts will likely be curious simply because it’s a new Buffalo Trace product and will enjoy dissecting the difference between it and the 10 Year.

Though what it offers beyond the 10 Year bourbon isn’t revolutionary, it’s a better product that could easily become a staple in anyone’s collection. Even beyond that, Eagle Rare 12 Year Bourbon is a further glimpse inside the Buffalo Trace rickhouse and an opportunity to get to know their breadth of bourbon a little better with every new release.