Eagle Rare 17 Years Old (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection)

Producer: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Age: 17 years

Bottled: 2019

Proof: 101

Finish: None

This is the high age, ryed bourbon entry in in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, which is released annually. The age and the proof are always constant, but the number of bottles vary. It's always bottled at 101 proof, and the age is always 17 years. It's significantly older than the typical Eagle Rare, which is aged for 10 years. The mash bill is the low rye version from Buffalo Trace. It's the same mash bill as the George T. Stagg from the BTAC, but it's slightly older and bottled at a lower proof. Presumably, it's aged in a different warehouse location. The Eagle Rare 17 is highly sought after, and therefore expensive. If you don't win the lottery, then you should expect to pay over $2,000 for this bottle.

Color: Red ocher

Body: Full, long legs

Nose: Blackberry cobbler, spice, Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Palate: Citrus forward, lemon peel, sweet rock candy, not spicy, citrus slowly fades as fruit rises, Mrs. Smith's mixed berry cobbler, brown sugar crumbles, blackberry predominates with doughy cobbler crust, water adds more berries with vanilla cream, more blackberry

Finish: Medium, fruit lingers, oak tannins, vanilla

Score: Ace

Song: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses

I slowly collected my full line of Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bourbons, and they occupy the most exclusive shelf in my bourbon collection, alongside my collection of Van Winkle bourbons. This is my first bottle of Eagle Rare 17. How does it compare to the other two BTAC bourbons, William LaRue Weller and George T. Stagg? You'll have to watch the BTAC flight video. I'll tell you this. I was quite surprised. The WLW is one of the best bourbons in the world, giving Pappy a run for its money. The surprise was how well the ER 17 compared against the GTS. This bourbon is remarkably sweet and fruity for a highly aged ryed bourbon. The oak tannins are quite mild. The ER 17 hides its age as well a highly aged Pappy does. There's an interesting citrus note at the beginning which fades into a world full of berries, vanilla and cobbler. It leaves you wondering if this whiskey is actually a wheated bourbon. The predominant flavor is blackberry, and this rich fruit permeates the experience throughout. There's a tad bit of cinnamon spice, but overall, you still can't believe it's a ryed bourbon. The proof is much lower than the GTS, so it's much easier to drink than its high proof cousin. It's a different year and probably a different warehouse location, as well. These two bourbons share the same mash bill, but they couldn't be more different. Eagle Rare 17 is reminiscent of a child walking into the kitchen, while his mother is taking a sweet blackberry cobbler out of the oven. Hence, I suggest pairing it with Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses. ER 17 is a worthy addition to the BTAC. This is an annual reason. Enter the lottery, or pay for it online.