Eagle Rare Bourbon: 10 year and 17 year

Hello my bourbon friends! I wanted to kick off the month of May with something special- I figured it should be a review  from one of my favorite distilleries and I also wanted to do something that I have not done before. I am excited bring you the reader (and watcher for those of you who subscribe to our youtube channel) the first, of many, comparison reviews! With the help of my bourbon brother (@Jeff_Ewart) we sat down and decided to compare Eagle Rare 10 and Eagle Rare 17.

Eagle Rare 10
90 Proof, Single Barrel, 10 years old.

Color: Dark Copper

Nose: Sweet and elegant. Vanilla, brown sugar, cherry pie, floral, honey, cinnamon, subtle rye.


Taste: Sweetness on the tip of the palate. Medium bodied mouthfeel with little to no burn. Caramel candies, vanilla, rye, baking spices, clove, oak.

Finish: Fairly long and warming.

Eagle Rare 17
Spring 2013 Release-  After reviewing the fact sheet that was provided by BuffaloTrace, the age for this release of ER 17 is actually 19 years. The year of Distillation was Spring of 1993 and the bottling year was Spring of 2013. Like its younger brother, it is also a single barrel and bottled at 90 proof.

Color: Rustic Amber

Nose: Cigar box, tobacco, brown sugar, candied fruits, cinnamon.

Taste: Medium mouthfeel, very smooth. Subtle rye spice. Tobacco, black pepper, leather, and oak take the bull by the horns and never let go.

Finish: Very long. Leaves the palate very dry. Tobacco, pepper, and oak linger.

Conclusion: The 10 year is a well balanced bourbon that is very smooth and sweet for sitting 10 years in the oak. I enjoyed this, and at $25-30 a bottle, I will eventually buy it again. The 17 year is fairly one dimensional in comparison to its younger brother. However, what it does it does well, and if you are a fan of the dry, tobacco and cigar box style flavor profile, you will love Eagle Rare 17. It certainly fills a special niche in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.While both are in the very good category, I have to prefer the 10 year givin the overall balance, price, and availability.

Rating for both: B+ (Very Good)

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Video Review: