Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
17 Years Old
Spring 2014 BTAC Release
45% ABV
$80, but good luck finding it
Color:
Beautiful, ruddy, cloudy deep light orangey brown
Smell:
Just gorgeous...wow. Dark red fruits and a lot of oak influence. Lots of sweet molasses/brown sugar, maple syrup, tobacco and some vanilla. Flowery perfume behind these smells in a great way, as well.
Taste:
Smooth and mild sweetness on the initial rush of flavor...sweet but not corny. Definitely a lot of leather/tobacco taking over mid-palate, with a drying-out-your-cheeks chewy oak astringency that is an excellent finish. Unlike something like a standard Booker's oak bomb, this is loads more nuanced. Again, a fruitiness somehow makes itself present through the brown sugar and tobacco melange; this reminds me a lot of some of the really nice Four Roses single barrels/private releases/limited editions. The only knocks - if there are any - are a) that it's not barrel proof and b) that the finish isn't incredibly long-lasting.Overall:
I flat-out love this whiskey. I've had old bourbons before where it tastes like you're basically just licking the air in a woodshop class - this is miles away from that. Beautiful balance of sweetness and oak influence...it tastes like a cigar made love to a jug of maple syrup on a bed of roses. If you get a chance to buy below $100 or (more realistically) taste this, don't hesitate. Such a winner.
What others have said:
Richard Thomas of The Whiskey Reviewer rated it a B+:
- "Frankly, while I think of Eagle Rare 17 Year Old as a fine bourbon, I also usually think of it as the least of the Antique Collection expressions. In keeping with its reasonable alcohol content, the bourbon has a bright, middlingly amber coloring that positively scintillates when you give it the swish.
- Taking in the scent, I found deep vanilla, with thick notes of corn and orange zest for sweetness, making the whole affair something like an upscale experiment in ice cream. Or it would be were it not for the dash, small but noticeable, of barrel char.
- The flavor turns things upside down. First, it reverts to form by going from the somewhat creamy nose to the lighter mouthfeel I expect from Eagle Rare 17 Year Old. Also, the rye spice and barrel char are on top, the latter taking on a toasty, woody dry aspect. As opposed to being a bit fruity, this year’s is a bit earthy and chocolatey. The finish is light and a little spicy, and wraps things up speedily.
- Compared to past installments, I think the flavor profile of this year’s Eagle Rare 17 Year Old has shifted a few degrees. It’s noticeably drier, and a little more like the hoary thing some people think it is supposed to be. For that reason, I like it a full notch more than past renditions too."
- This edition of Eagle Rare 17 is a vatting of whiskeys from the second, third, and sixth floors of Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse I and K. Aged “nearly two decades,” according to the company — so as with last year, it may be a bit older than 17 years. This one’s a smooth operator, not quite the burly old guard that it can sometimes present as. Instead, it’s all silky caramels, bittersweet chocolate, Bing cherry, and graham crackers. Some spicier notes of cloves and allspice develop in the finish. 90 proof. A-
- Often ignored because it’s not barrel proof like the other bourbons in the collection. The past couple years have shown a gradual increase in oak spice and resin. This year’s offering particularly sports unnecessary oak, showing more leather, dried spice (especially cinnamon), barrel char and tannins than needed to marry with the toffee, caramel, rum, mocha, dried fruit, and tobacco notes. Still very enjoyable, but slightly past its prime.
