Eagle Rare 17 Year is one of the six whiskeys in Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection, the fall lineup that bourbon collectors wait for all year. It is the oldest expression of Eagle Rare and one of the benchmarks for long-aged Kentucky bourbon.
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, often shortened to BTAC, was introduced more than two decades ago to showcase rare, hand-selected whiskeys from the distillery's master distillers. Today it brings together George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17, Sazerac Rye 18 and, from 2025, E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond. The bottles are released once a year in very small quantities, and each release differs slightly, which is part of their appeal to collectors.
Eagle Rare has been made at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort since 1989, where the core bottling became a 10-year-old at 90 proof. The 17 Year takes the same Mash Bill #1 bourbon much further, resting it in oak for nearly two decades: the 2021 release, for example, spent 18 years and 6 months in new American oak with a number 4 char, across several of the distillery's warehouses. After that long in wood a large share of each barrel is lost to evaporation, which concentrates the whiskey and keeps quantities scarce. It is bottled at 101 proof.
Awards & Recognition
- 96 points, Wine Enthusiast
- 5 stars, Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal
- Double Gold and Best in Class, Whiskies of the World 2024
- Gold, North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition 2024
Tasting Notes
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Nose: Fragrant, almost wine-like, with hints of almond, cigar box and cinnamon.
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Palate: Delicate and dry, with leather, vanilla and tobacco.
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Finish: Lingering, with leather and toffee.
Specifications
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Producer: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
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Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Mash Bill #1
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Expression / Batch: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, annual fall release
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Age: 17 years minimum (recent releases older)
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Proof / ABV: 101 proof (50.5% ABV)
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Cask / Finish: New charred American oak
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Region: Kentucky, USA
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Size: 750ml
How to Enjoy It
This is a bourbon to sip slowly and neat, in a Glencairn or tulip glass; give it ten minutes to open before the first taste, and a drop of water can coax out more fruit. Its leather, tobacco and cigar-box notes make it a classic match for a full-bodied cigar or a square of dark chocolate. For a bourbon collector, few gifts carry more weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Eagle Rare 17?
It carries a 17-year age statement, and Buffalo Trace describes it as aged for nearly two decades; the 2021 release, for example, spent 18 years and 6 months in barrel.
What proof is Eagle Rare 17?
Eagle Rare 17 Year is bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV).
When is Eagle Rare 17 released?
Once a year each fall, in very limited quantities, as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
Explore more in our bourbon collection.
