Bonhams has announced a collaboration with Buffalo Trace Distillery to mark the release of Eagle Rare 30 Year Old, the oldest bourbon ever produced by the distillery.
To coincide with the launch, Bonhams will host a curated online auction running from 24 April to 8 May 2026, featuring some of the rarest American whiskeys from the Eagle Rare portfolio.
The auction includes the first and second bottles of Eagle Rare 30 ever produced, alongside a selection of aged expressions such as 10-, 12-, and 17-year-old releases, as well as exclusive experiences and distillery-based hospitality packages.
The introduction of a 30-year-old bourbon represents a notable milestone. Due to Kentucky’s extreme climate, very few casks are able to mature for such an extended period, making long-aged bourbons particularly rare.
Eagle Rare 30 builds on the foundation of the earlier 25-year-old release, with both expressions matured in Warehouse P, one of two experimental warehouses designed to slow and control the ageing process. The facility was developed to explore whether extended maturation in Kentucky could deliver results comparable to more moderate climates such as Scotland, Ireland, or Japan.
Harlen Wheatley noted that long-term maturation is shaped not only by time, but by the interaction between oak, char, and environmental conditions, with careful monitoring required to achieve balance and complexity over decades.
The Eagle Rare range, part of Buffalo Trace’s portfolio since 1989, includes both widely available and highly limited expressions, with the 30-year-old release extending the upper limits of bourbon maturation, a category more commonly associated with Scotch whisky.
Key auction highlights (15 lots total):
- Lot 1: First-ever bottle of Eagle Rare 30, paired with a private tasting experience at Buffalo Trace (Kentucky or London)
(Estimate: £9,000–£13,000) - Lot 2: Full Eagle Rare collection, including 10, 12, 17, Double Eagle Very Rare, 25 Year Old, and the second bottle of 30 Year Old, plus a stay at the private Stagg Lodge
(Estimate: £20,000–£30,000) - Lot 3: Selection of Eagle Rare 10, 12, and 17 Year Olds, plus a Single Barrel Pick Experience
(Estimate: £7,000–£10,000) - Lots 4–5: Eagle Rare 17 Year Old (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025)
(Estimate: £800–£1,300) - Lots 6–10: Six-bottle cases of Eagle Rare 12 Year Old
(Estimate: £700–£1,000) - Lots 11–15: Six-bottle cases of Eagle Rare 10 Year Old
(Estimate: £200–£400)
The auction, titled “The Ultimate Eagle Rare Release”, will be conducted online via Bonhams, bringing together collectors and enthusiasts for one of the most extensive Eagle Rare offerings to date.
