Eagle Rare 17 Year Bourbon (Fall 2014)

Next in my Buffalo Trace series is a sample of Eagle Rare 17 from 2014. The aroma is moderately rich and creamy, drawing you in with sweet butterscotch pudding and a slight tartness from honeydew, diced Granny Smith apples, and dusty leather-bound books, then mild earthy notes of affogato with blonde roast espresso over vanilla ice cream and chocolate-covered candied pecans, followed by mandarin oranges and cherry cough drops, transitioning to light spices of spearmint, ginger, cloves, and dusty barnyard floors with minimal ethanol burn. The taste has a medium mouthfeel, beginning with sweet butterscotch pudding and a slight tartness of honeydew, diced Granny Smith apples, and dusty leather-bound books, then mild earthy notes of spicy mocha, black peppercorns, and candied pecans, followed by mandarin oranges and cherry cough syrup, transitioning to light spices of spearmint, ginger, cloves, and polished mahogany with moderate ethanol burn. The finish is medium in length with milk chocolate-covered candied pecans, sautéed cinnamon apples, cherry cough syrup, cloves, ginger, mild black pepper spice, and an antique leather armchair. Well damn, this is a delicious bourbon that is moderately rich and creamy, with a balance of sweet and sour citrus and dusty old oak in the background, along with mild earthy notes and light rye spices that are nearly perfectly balanced, with the main flaw being that the flavors are thinner than I'd prefer, likely due to that 45% ABV; with just a few more percentage points, it could have truly elevated this bourbon with a richer mouthfeel and bolder flavors. Side by side with Eagle Rare 10, they share the same notes, but the additional years of the 17 have truly helped intensify them with a richer nose and mouthfeel, along with dusty old oak, making it the clear winner. At a price of around $2400+ today, there is no value to be found here, and there are plenty of other bourbons that are equal to or better than this for far less.

I was fortunate enough to acquire 3 oz for 49.65 Euros, a significant bargain compared to what it would cost PER OUNCE in the US by the bottle. With that said, I personally would not pay the $900.00 secondary pricing for an ER 17. The aroma is refined caramel & vanilla; nothing truly stands out. The palate consists of oak. The finish is neither pleasing nor displeasing to me. It's not particularly complex for the price, but it possesses a lovely aroma. I still award it a 4 out of appreciation for its 17-year age statement and being part of the BTAC collection, and the privilege of tasting it. However, I prefer the other 4 BTAC bottles generally, regardless of the year, and luckily the WLW, GTS & THH are not too difficult to obtain one way or another, and I would rate each of the other BTACs higher. Cheers!!!

Discovered a fantastic bourbon bar at Chimes in Covington, LA. It has the best selection I've seen so far. I had a serving of this elusive bourbon and savored every drop. A wonderful vanilla aroma with a hint of char and oak. The mouthfeel was thin, though the palate delivered what one expects from a premium bourbon. Sweetness on the tip of the tongue with vanilla and oak, finishing with a long, satisfying spicy warmth. The cost was $26.

Luxurious and refined. Nose: Vanilla, Cherry Cola, Raspberries, Espresso, Almonds, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Root Beer, Cooked Agave Palate: Cherries, Brown Sugar, Peaches, Maple Syrup, Cloves, Ginger, Blood Oranges, Vanilla Finish: Vanilla, Bananas, Milk Chocolate, Honey, Coconuts, Walnuts, Brown Butter Cake, Banana Bread

I regret not being more experienced when I tasted this a few years back. I'd like to try it again and hopefully appreciate it more. What I recall is that it was an exceptional bourbon that strongly featured cinnamon and spice. I believe a small amount of water was needed to temper the heat, though.

Remarkably smooth with virtually no burn. Initially, it presents like a standard bourbon. The mid-palate is where the taste unfolds. A multitude of fragrant notes. After swallowing, the flavor persists for an extended period with intricate caramel, toffee, and a whisper of plum.