Dan and Alex open an Eagle Rare 10 Year store pick and explore what makes it such a memorable bourbon. Their tasting covers the bottle’s extra age, smooth 90-proof profile, and notes of vanilla, caramel, orange, cherry cola, and gentle rye spice.
The conversation expands into a broader discussion about bourbon value, store picks, dusty bottles, Blanton’s, Rock Hill Farms, bottle collecting, and the challenge of finding allocated whiskey at a fair price. Alex shares why Rock Hill Farms remains one of his favorite bottles, while Dan compares Eagle Rare’s 10 and 12 year expressions and explains why store picks can offer a more distinctive experience.
Along the way, they discuss bourbon tourism, distillery visits, bottle shares, cork preservation, aging warehouses, old bottle prices, and the personal stories behind their collections. The episode closes with thoughts on the Kentucky Derby, bourbon friendships, and the importance of buying bottles to enjoy—not simply to resell.
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In this episode
Tasting an Eagle Rare 10 Year store pick
Comparing standard releases with store picks
Notes of vanilla, caramel, orange, cherry cola, and rye spice
Why Eagle Rare is considered a strong value bourbon
Eagle Rare 10 Year versus 12 Year
Alex’s favorite Rock Hill Farms bottle
Blanton’s, Blanton’s Gold, and Straight From the Barrel
Dusty bottles and historic bourbon prices
How to develop your palate and identify tasting notes
Corks, storage, decanters, and bottle displays
Buffalo Trace expansion and aging capacity
Allocated bottle lotteries and secondary-market pricing
Bourbon and Beyond, bottle shares, and Kentucky Derby plans
Collecting bottles you actually intend to drink
Timestamps
00:00 – Opening the Eagle Rare store pick
02:47 – First impressions and tasting notes
03:01 – Eagle Rare as a value bourbon
05:21 – Orange, vanilla, caramel, and balance
10:57 – How flavors develop over multiple sips
16:08 – Dan’s dusty bottle collection
19:14 – Comparing Blanton’s releases
24:32 – Bourbon and Beyond plans
36:05 – Eagle Rare 12 Year discussion
41:14 – Rock Hill Farms becomes the focus
49:27 – Cherry cola, caramel, and single-barrel flavor
54:04 – Why Rock Hill Farms sets the standard
57:29 – Value-first bourbon collecting
63:39 – Negotiation, respect, and friendship
71:21 – Master distillers and barrel selection
75:06 – Cold storage and ultra-aged bourbon
77:16 – Eagle Rare 20 and 25 bottle lotteries
81:02 – Final bottle recap
82:55 – Sign-off
Notable quotes
“I think that this is the best value per dollar.”
“That is the standard in my opinion.”
“If you want the bottle and you’re gonna enjoy the bottle, get the bottle.”
Bourbon, Brass & Beyond - https://www.bourbonbrassandbeyond.com
Alex Derthick - IG: @captalex8
