Eagle Rare Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 17 Years NV 750ml

The most underrated of the five in the 2011 collection, but this year’s release (like last year’s) is very lovely bourbon. Perhaps just a bit softer than last year, but with a similar profile: very even keeled and nicely balanced, with sweet notes (vanilla, toffee, añejo rum) peppered with soft orchard fruit and spice (cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, hint of mint), polished oak, and subtle tobacco.

The bouquet slowly emerges, offering delicately sweet scents of buttered popcorn, light toffee, maple and lanolin. The corn base taste of the palate entry is balanced by a sap-like flavor; at midpalate sweet, oaky, maple-like and grainy tastes meld into a seamless taste profile. Finish is elegant, semisweet, intensely oaky, resiny and pineapple-like.