Eagle Rare 17 Year Old 2023 Release Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Aged for over 19 years, this marks the oldest Eagle Rare released to date.
"...a memorable edition thanks to its prominent “dusty” funk note". - breakingbourbon.com
Aged for nearly two decades and only available in small quantities annually, this is consistently one of the oldest age statements in the American whiskey scene. Seventeen years indicates the minimum age for Eagle Rare, but because taste is the main priority for the lab experts at Buffalo Trace, the age of the whiskey varies yearly to meet its ideal flavour profile. The fragrant aroma has an almost wine-like character with hints of almond, cigar boxes and cinnamon while the delicate and dry mid-palate tastes of leather, vanilla and tobacco. This bourbon lingers, finishing with a hint of leather and toffee.
Other reviews... At 19 years and three months old, this year’s Eagle Rare-17-Year-Old Bourbon marks the oldest release of the spirit since its 23-year inclusion in the Antique Collection. This whiskey was distilled in the spring of 2004, and barrels were aged in Warehouses C, I, K, M, and Q. Eagle Rare 17 is once again bottled at 101 proof in tribute to the original Eagle Rare brand launched in 1975... For the first time since 2018, Eagle Rare 17 Year has finally reached a height I have not seen since its pre-2018 years. A few key elements really define this year’s release, with the first being an aroma that practically jumps out of the glass, and the second an underlying funk note that persists throughout the whiskey and gives it an almost “dusty” characteristic - a unique underlying presence akin to much older bourbons released in the early to mid-1900s. While the aroma introduces this note along with wet, seasoned oak that lays a somewhat earthy undertone, scents of dark chocolate covered cherries, caramel, raspberry, and brown sugar provide an enjoyable contrast. Black currant, seasoned oak, vanilla, and caramel give way to a swell of rye spice on the palate. The whiskey becomes dry on the finish, which isn’t surprising for its age. White peppercorn spice, leather, and aged oak overtake any lingering sweet flavors from the palate, and again the dusty funk note emerges and lingers. While it doesn’t quite reach the height of the 2013 Eagle Rare 17 Year release, my favorite of the 90 proof editions, this year’s edition comes very close. Trading a bit of fruit and heavier oak for spice and dusty funk, 2023’s Eagle Rare 17 Year showcases different qualities exemplary of a refined high-aged bourbon. Its dusty funk note will not only make it one of the more memorable Eagle Rare 17 Year releases, but a more memorable high aged bourbon release in general. - breakingbourbon.com