What does a $10,000 bottle of bourbon style like? We received to search out out for ourselves.

That’s as a result of it’s an especially uncommon bourbon, with simply 200 bottles being launched. And it comes from Buffalo Trace, the outstanding Kentucky distillery that’s additionally behind the much-in-demand Pappy Van Winkle model.

It’s additionally a bourbon with fairly a again story. Aging Kentucky-made bourbon past a sure variety of years is taken into account pretty controversial as a result of the spirit can simply purchase a less-than-pleasant style from sitting within the barrel too lengthy. Some say 15 years is pushing it. Others query going past a decade. Or as Jane Bowie, a former director of innovation for the Maker’s Mark model, as soon as noticed: “After about eight years, bourbon gets too woody.” (Others describe older bourbons as astringent and dry.)

So, how is Buffalo Trace capable of go to 25? It all has to do with a $20 million-plus program the distillery has developed — particularly, a brand new state-of-the-art warehouse dubbed Warehouse P.

According to Buffalo Trace, it was “constructed to test if it was possible to extend favorably both the aging and maturation processes typical for American whiskey and bourbon.” The distillery doesn’t get into too many particulars about what’s happening inside Warehouse P, however clearly elements like temperature and humidity are essential to getting old. (The cause Scotch might be aged longer than Kentucky bourbon is due to Scotland’s significantly cooler local weather.)

Regarding the pricing of this Eagle Rare, the oldsters at Buffalo Trace can’t formally set what retailers cost, so $10,000 is only a instructed determine. Certainly, bottles of Pappy — and different extremely prized whiskies — are recognized to promote for rather more than the instructed value. And these whiskies usually turn out to be way more priceless over time, due to a rising collector market. For instance, a bottle of Pappy launched in 2008 offered for $52,000 at public sale final yr.

What we give it some thought

Yes, I used to be fortunate sufficient to attempt a really small sip of this rarest of Eagle Rares at a latest press occasion in New York City. It’s certainly a scrumptious and delicate whiskey, with notes of butterscotch and pepper. (The Buffalo Trace staff says you also needs to choose up vanilla and darkish fruit.) And whereas I’ve had older bourbons which have had that tell-tale woodiness, that’s not the case right here.

But is it price $10,000 (or much more)? Obviously, in case you can afford this whiskey, it’s in all probability not a query of value. But for the remainder of us, you’re advantageous sticking with the entry-level Eagle Rare — a tasty 10-year-old bourbon that may simply be discovered for beneath $75.

How to get pleasure from it

No, you’re not going to make an Old Fashioned or a Mint Julep with a $10,000 bourbon. But we did discover including a drop or two of water to it may possibly improve the flavour.