Eagle Rare Bourbon vs Kentucky Spirit Bourbon

Apr 28

🎥 Watch the full blind bourbon battle here

🥃 Eagle Rare vs. Kentucky Spirit – Blind Bourbon Showdown

Welcome to another Tortured Bourbon blind tasting—where the labels are hidden, the pours are honest, and the chaos is always on the menu. In this episode, we’re putting two iconic single-barrel bourbons to the test: Eagle Rare 10-Year from Buffalo Trace and Kentucky Spirit from Wild Turkey.

And the best part? We don’t know which glass is which. No hype. No label bias. Just a full-on blind bourbon tasting battle.

⚔️ Why Blind Bourbon Battles Matter

Let’s face it—bourbon labels and reputation can get in your head. Is that $60 bottle really better than the $45 one? Would you love it as much if you didn’t know it was a Buffalo Trace product?

That’s why blind tastings matter—and why Tortured Bourbon does them regularly. We want to know what really shines in the glass, without the influence of branding, rarity, or resale value.

🦅 Contender 1:

Eagle Rare 10-Year Bourbon

Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Age: 10 years
Proof: 90
Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (low rye)
Tasting Notes: Caramel, dark cherry, toasted oak, vanilla, baking spice

Eagle Rare is one of the most sought-after bourbons in America. Aged 10 years and single-barrel in nature (at least originally), it’s known for its smooth, rich character and slightly elevated elegance compared to its flagship sibling, Buffalo Trace Bourbon. It’s also one of the most chased bottles in bourbon hunting circles—so how does it fare in a blind taste?

🦃 Contender 2:

Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel

Distillery: Wild Turkey
Proof: 101
Mash Bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, caramel, spice, oak, a touch of citrus

Kentucky Spirit is a single-barrel bottling of Wild Turkey’s famous 101 proof bourbon. It’s bold, flavorful, and unafraid to let the barrel character shine. With higher proof and the Russell family pedigree behind it, this bourbon brings serious heat and complexity to the table.

🎯 The Blind Bourbon Review Format

This isn’t your average tasting. Our resident Aussie, Katie, set the table—literally—and poured the samples without telling us what was what. That means Heather and B had no idea which bourbon was which as they nosed, sipped, and ranked their way through the showdown.

Think of it as “Aussie Rules Bourbon Tasting.” No retakes. No notes. Just two seasoned drinkers trying to figure it out the hard way.

🥃 What We Looked For

In each pour, we evaluated:

Nose – what aromas popped first? Vanilla, spice, oak, fruit?
Palate – how did the flavors develop from start to finish?
Mouthfeel – was it oily, rich, thin, or tannic?
Finish – did it linger or vanish? Did it evolve or fizzle?

Then, of course, we ranked them. And when the blindfold came off… well, let’s just say we had some surprises.

🏁 Final Thoughts – Who Took the Crown?

Did Eagle Rare live up to the hype in a blind setting? Or did Kentucky Spirit fly under the radar and steal the win?

You’ll have to watch the episode to find out. But here’s what we’ll say: proof matters, age matters—but what really matters is your own palate.

🎥 Watch the full blind bourbon battle here

📌 Want More Bourbon Battles?

We do these all the time. From high-end head-to-heads to budget bottle face-offs, Tortured Bourbon is where bourbon lovers come to laugh, learn, and sip the good stuff (and occasionally suffer through the bad).

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