Okay so I just sat with the two again. Only this time I had one ounce servings of each side by side, two times. The ER17 was noticeably darker than the ER10. Again I really didn’t notice any major differences between the two. There were however enough subtle differences to make the two stand apart from each other a bit.

So really I am no major spirits writer, bourbon just tastes good. As does wine, I just happen to like bourbon a little bit more. I think the majority of spirits writers/reviewers/whatever have these overtly fantastic descriptions of tastes and it always leaves me a bit confused. Like I don’t often taste hints of citrus but have read it in descriptions of bourbons I drink regularly. It could be that I identify what that person identified as citrus differently.

I was talking to this guy at BevMo last Wednesday and he was telling me that reviewing a drink should take three words, two words if it’s really good. Which makes sense to me too. I mean surely we all have different tastes and what I enjoy occasionally my friend may not enjoy ever (Willet.)

With that being said I think that there’s nothing too complicated about this comparison. The ER17 is better. But to say it correctly; the ER10 is better (than the average cheapo bottle) and ER17 is best (as far as Eagle Rare goes.) I found the ER17 to be more of everything I enjoy in the ER10. Sweeter (chocolate covered cherry?), darker, more oak flavor and it is noticeably smoother. It’s good enough to drink straight and it’s 90 proof. I can’t seem to find a proof statement on the ER10, but I think it’s also 90 proof.

The next morning I went over to the empty glasses and took a sniff. They both had some pleasant scent left in the glass but I could tell which one was the ER17 because it smelled almost like cotton candy 🙂 The smell took after the sweet cherry flavor I was tasting.

I’d say if you’re just starting out or don’t see any sense in dishing out sixty something dollars for a bottle to go with ER10. If you’ve had a few bottles or are a purveyor of the finest milks you may want to try the ER17. Will the difference wow you? Maybe. It didn’t wow me all that much but I can appreciate it for what it is. Now to get my hands on some of the other bottles from this years Antique Collection.

Just got back from my local BevMo and swooped a bottle, this bottle is from the 2008 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Nasal passages detecting a mustiness and hints of tobacco… old as balls, bitter tobacco. It’s really dark colored too.

I’m currently sipping about an ounce in my sniffy glass straight. It’s been sitting for a few minutes. The smell hasn’t died down so I’m going to give it a cap full of water. Okay, two caps of water. I think it’s good to go.

Wow. Well my first instinct was “shit, I like the 10 year old better.” I gave it a few sippers and realized it’s a completely different taste. I need to try some with a little ice.

Once I poured me a glass with some ice it turned a nice gold color. It’s really good because it so different. At first it smells and tastes like regular old Buffalo Trace with earthy/leathery notes, but it’s got that sweetness that regular ER10 packs.

Even then, it’s a different kind of sweet. A bolder, thicker sweet along the lines of cherries and vanilla. I usually find the ER10 to be on the cinnamon side of the sweet, kind of a side effect rather than one of two major taste elements.

Either way it is a nice change from the Eagle Rare I’ve come to know and love. I will probably enjoy the bottle more as I have few pours. Some bottles take a little time to appreciate.

Edit: I got a bottle of the ER10 and they in fact do taste very similar. I think last time I was drinking the ER10 I was in a festive mood and had a few drinks. The 17 year old is good though.