Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2018 Antique Collection)

Name: Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2018 Antique Collection)
Brand: Buffalo Trace
SKU: 088004021443-18
Price: 1999.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$1,999.95

/

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: 17 Years Old (2018 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 101 Proof

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Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

101

Proof

50.5%

ABV

750 mL

Format

17 Yrs

Age Statement

89.5%

Loss

Kentucky

Region

Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old 2018 is the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection release that moved the label from 90 proof to 101 proof, a change Buffalo Trace made permanent from that year forward. The distillery filled these barrels in the spring of 2000 and aged them on the first, second and fifth floors of Warehouse C.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

The proof year: bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV) against the 90 proof every previous Antique Collection Eagle Rare 17 carried. Buffalo Trace described it as a return to the strength the brand used at its 1974 launch.

02

Spring 2000 distillate: the barrels for this batch went into wood in the spring of 2000 and came out in the autumn of 2018.

03

One warehouse, three floors: the whole batch matured in Warehouse C on floors one, two and five — a narrower footprint than the six-warehouse spread behind that year's George T. Stagg.

04

89.5% lost to the angels: only about a tenth of what went into these barrels survived to bottling, making the 2018 outturn sparse even by Antique Collection standards.

05

Low-rye recipe: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1, the corn-forward recipe Eagle Rare shares with George T. Stagg.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Antique Collection Heritage

Frankfort 17-Year Maturation

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery (DSP-KY-113) in Frankfort, Kentucky, the 2018 Eagle Rare 17 marks the historic transition back to the 101 proof strength parameter. Matured across eighteen summers on floors 1, 2, and 5 of Warehouse C, it represents a landmark moment in the modern history of the Antique Collection.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

Low-Rye Recipe & Warehouse C Maturation

Mash Bill #1 Platform

Low-Rye Bourbon Core

Distilled from Kentucky corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota malted barley for a sweet caramel and polished oak foundation.

Warehouse C Maturation

Floors 1, 2 & 5 Aging

Maturation across Warehouse C's thermal gradient yielded an 89.5% evaporation loss, concentrating deep wood sugars.

101 Proof Return

Landmark Strength Shift

Raised permanently to 101 proof (50.5% ABV) in homage to the brand's original 1974 launch strength, enhancing structure and spice.

Independent Stave Oak

#4 Heavy Char Cooperage

Entered the barrel at 125 proof in new 53-gallon American white oak barrels subjected to a 55-second #4 char fire treatment.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

I

Sensory Profile

Nose: Toasted oak leads, with dark roasted coffee, worn leather, and soft pipe tobacco behind it.
Palate: Soft butterscotch and sweet caramelized sugars interact cleanly with rich leather, red cherry syrup, and fine cracked black pepper.
Finish: Exceedingly long, structured, and dry; premium toasted oak vanillins and roasted coffee elements linger elegantly.

† Official tasting notes provided directly by Buffalo Trace Distillery.

II

Strategic Position

2018 is the hinge in the Eagle Rare 17 run. Every Antique Collection bottling up to and including the 2017 release that closed out ninety proof came off the line at 90; everything after it sits at 101. Set it beside the 124.9-proof Stagg from the same 2018 set or the 2019 release that followed within Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

101-Proof Transition Milestone

Marks the definitive benchmark where Eagle Rare 17 elevated to 101 proof permanently across all subsequent BTAC releases.

→

Bourbon Vault Context

Catalogued within the primary Whiskey Collection and The Vault at Midnight Whiskey.

Evaluated strictly on verified liquid specifications, physical inspects, and primary distillery disclosures.

Collector IndexER17 2018 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace (DSP-KY-113)
Series Position: 2018 BTAC Allocation (101P Return)
Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Proof / ABV: 101 Proof (50.5% ABV)
Age Statement: 17 Years Old (Distilled Spring 2000)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the complete Whiskey collection in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
AGE STATEMENT	17 Years Old (Distilled Spring 2000, Bottled Fall 2018)
PROOF / ABV	101 Proof / 50.5% ABV (Return to 101 Proof)
FILTRATION	Chill Filtered
MASH BILL	Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low-Rye Bourbon)
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouse C (Floors 1, 2 & 5; 89.5% Evaporation Loss)
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004021443-18

† Specifications and details verified directly from physical bottle inspects and producer disclosures.

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Buffalo Trace distilled this whiskey from Mash Bill #1, its low-rye bourbon recipe, at DSP-KY-113 in Frankfort, Kentucky, filling the barrels in the spring of 2000. The batch spent its entire maturation in Warehouse C, drawn from the first, second and fifth floors — a spread that crosses the warehouse's temperature gradient without reaching its hottest upper levels. Nearly nine tenths of the original fill was lost to evaporation across those eighteen autumns. At batching the whiskey was cut to 101 proof, the strength Buffalo Trace adopted for the label from this release forward.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 2018 Eagle Rare 17 bottled at 101 proof?

Buffalo Trace raised Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old from 90 proof to 101 proof with the 2018 Antique Collection release and said the change was permanent from that year forward. The distillery framed it as a return to the strength the Eagle Rare brand carried at its 1974 launch. Every Antique Collection Eagle Rare 17 released since 2018 has been bottled at 101 proof.

Where was the 2018 Eagle Rare 17 aged?

The 2018 Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old matured entirely in Warehouse C at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, on the first, second and fifth floors. Buffalo Trace filled the barrels in the spring of 2000. Roughly 89.5% of the original fill was lost to evaporation before bottling.

Was the 2018 Eagle Rare 17 the first release at 101 proof?

It was the first Buffalo Trace Antique Collection release of Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old at 101 proof, but Buffalo Trace presented it as a return rather than a debut: the distillery tied the strength to the one the Eagle Rare brand used when it launched in 1974. The Antique Collection bottlings before it, through 2017, were all 90 proof.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Eagle Rare 17 Year (2018 Release)

Shipping information

Adult Signature Required: Federal law requires an adult (21+) with a valid government ID to sign for all deliveries. Carriers cannot leave alcohol unattended.

Processing Time: Most orders process within 1–8 business days. You will receive a tracking number via email as soon as your bottle ships.

Insured Shipping: We strongly recommend electing Shipping Protection at checkout. Midnight Whiskey is not liable for loss or damage once in the carrier's possession unless insurance is purchased.

Restrictions: We ship only within the permitted U.S. states and cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or U.S. Territories.

All Sales Final: Due to alcohol regulations, we cannot accept returns for change of mind.

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Eagle Rare

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Antique Collection Heritage