What I'm Drinking: Wildly Expensive Bourbon, Incredibly Expensive Cognac, & Very Affordable Scotch
Got $12,500? Then you can spring for a bottle of the only 30 year old bourbon I’ve ever tried that actually tastes good. (Photo courtesy Eagle Rare/Sazerac)
One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is getting to taste spirits I could never afford barring a lottery win, and even if I did win the lottery, I’d probably spend it on things besides — OK, in addition to — super-high end booze. The gods of luxury hooch have smiled on me in 2026, granting me a private tasting of Louis XIII Rare Cask cognac with the cellar master who selected it. I also got to do a vertical tasting of every age statement of Eagle Rare bourbon, including the new 30 Year Old, in the presence of the master distiller. And of course I wrote about them as well, in the interest of disseminating knowledge and that sort of thing.
What’s the deal with Rare Cask? Apart from it being more than a 1,000% upgrade of Louis XIII’s flagship cognac, which itself sells for $4,000 a bottle? That was my question as well, and I got some interesting answers — which you’ll read about in my article for Forbes. Link is -> HERE <- .
And what’s up with Eagle Rare 30? And more importantly, how in blue blazes did the wizards at the Buffalo Trace Distillery create a bourbon that old that doesn’t taste like tree bark and paint thinner? It wasn’t just luck, as you’ll find out in my writeup, also for the fine humans at Forbes. Link? Right -> HERE <-.
Whoa there, Tex, I hear you saying. What about something that I can actually find in a regular liquor store that I won’t have to take out a second mortgage to afford? And that tastes good, to boot? Not to worry, I’ve got something new and nifty for you as well! Namely the latest addition to the Johnnie Walker range, Black Cask (not to be confused with Johnnie Walker Black Label or Double Black). Affordable? We’re talking $35 a bottle. Availability? You should be able to find it in bulk, in both your finer establishments and your local Liquor Barn. Tasty? You’d better believe it. Read all about it right… over… -> HERE <-.