I used to think Rare Breed was awesome. Back in the days when your selection of barrel proof bourbon was limited, it really jumped out and kicked you in the butt.
But times have changed. There are a number of quality barrel proofs out there that contend well with RB. Having tasted George T Stagg and seen what an amazingly crafted barrel proof bourbon can be RB dropped to only above average in my book. Rare Breed seems to sacrifice a lot of flavor for strength, resulting in too much burn. Stagg's pretty hard to get ahold of though so if your liquor store has a limited variety, Rare Breed isn't a bad choice by any means.
But times have changed. There are a number of quality barrel proofs out there that contend well with RB. Having tasted George T Stagg and seen what an amazingly crafted barrel proof bourbon can be RB dropped to only above average in my book. Rare Breed seems to sacrifice a lot of flavor for strength, resulting in too much burn. Stagg's pretty hard to get ahold of though so if your liquor store has a limited variety, Rare Breed isn't a bad choice by any means.