Double Eagle Very Rare Bourbon Whiskey 2023
Double Eagle Very Rare Bourbon Whiskey 2023 is Buffalo Trace's unicorn — a 750mL bottle of 20-year-old bourbon at 101 proof, the third release in the Double Eagle series (introduced 2019). Only 199 bottles were produced: each arrives in a silver presentation box with sliding doors, a hand-blown crystal decanter featuring two sculpted eagles, and an individually numbered letter of authenticity. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 50.5% (101 proof) — a nod to the original 1975 Eagle Rare proof
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 20 years — twice as long as standard Eagle Rare 10 Year
- Mash bill: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1
- Presentation: crystal decanter, silver box with sliding eagle-feather doors, numbered certificate
- Rarity: 199 bottles, 2023 release
- Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
Twenty Years on the Lower Floors
This bourbon slept for two decades on the lower floors of Buffalo Trace's historic warehouses — the coolest, slowest-maturing real estate in the rickhouse — emerging at a proof chosen deliberately: 101, the same proof Eagle Rare carried when it was first released in 1975, and the same proof as Eagle Rare 17 from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The official tasting notes read dark cherries and creamy caramel on the nose, dark chocolate, smoked oak and dates on the palate, and a long finish of cinnamon, anise and oak. Two decades in oak usually punishes a bourbon; Buffalo Trace's tasting panel calls this one "surprisingly balanced." Browse the Eagle Rare shelf, explore more Buffalo Trace rarities, or compare with other allocated bourbons.
Tasting Notes
Hints of vanilla, toasted oak and caramel lead into a gracefully-aged oaky core. The nose shows dark cherries and creamy caramel; the palate brings dark chocolate, smoked oak and dates; the finish is long and complex — cinnamon, anise and oak fading slowly.
How to Enjoy
Neat, in the decanter's intended company — this is a bottle that gets poured at milestones, not weeknights. A few drops of water will open the dark cherry and caramel if you want to taste before it disappears.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bottles of Double Eagle Very Rare 2023 were made?
199 — each individually numbered with a letter of authenticity.
Why is it 101 proof?
101 proof honors the original 1975 release proof of Eagle Rare Bourbon.
What makes Double Eagle Very Rare different from Eagle Rare 10 Year?
Age and presentation: 20 years in oak (twice the standard 10), bottled in a hand-blown crystal decanter with two sculpted eagles in a silver presentation box.
A genuine unicorn in a crystal decanter — secure Double Eagle Very Rare Bourbon 2023 at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.