Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review

Hannah’s Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review

Original review written March 7, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review: Offers a robust and intense character in its profile – likely a result of the high proof. This is not for the faint of heart, but enjoyable for experienced whiskey drinkers who like the heat. 93/100

VITALS:
Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas (~8 yrs.)*
– Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill recipe #1 which is a low rye (<10%)
– Casks: New charred oak; Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 66.05% (132.1 proof)*
– Non-chill filtered and Cask Strength
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho

*Stagg Jr. has no batch identifiers beyond ABV/proof. Internet sources claim that this ABV (66.05%) is Batch #12, bottled in the summer of 2019. It is believed to be 7-9 years old.

Visit buffalotracedistillery.com and bourbonex.com for more information about Buffalo Trace products and Stagg Jr. Batch descriptions

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

With the depth in this glass, I think this pour would be superb on a hot, autumn day in the middle of an apple orchard. Light perfumes invade the senses and the taste-buds long for something bright and sweet to give this spirit the flight it has earned.

Photo by James Pettecrew on Unsplash

NOSE:

Dark fruits are immediately apparent, particularly raisins and other assorted dried offerings, like cherries. I also detect cinnamon and nutmeg. Deep inhales provide a very subtle, almost invisible yeast, making me think of a cinnamon-raisin bagel once I put all of the flavors together. However, such deep inhales do have the power to burn, so exercise some caution and respect.

As the glass continues to warm, I can pull a toffee and caramel essence, sweet smoke and sawdust. Black pepper also comes alive, followed by a light, but wet hay. This is sweetened by just a touch of maple.

I’m sure I could find more flavors if I looked, but I think it’s safe to say that this nose is complex and can boast many flavors. Whether it’s over the top or not, we will learn on the sip.

PALATE:
Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review

– Mouth Feel: There’s definitely a rich and oily texture here. Very nice.
– Balance: I had concerns going in, but this is well-blended and quite enjoyable.
– Visual: Terracotta in color, there are ill-defined legs that coat the glass and drip from a weak crown.

– Taste: Aside from a sharp, short alcohol burn, I feel as though I have just bitten into a fig and pastry snack, only for it to be angrily chased off by dried cherries. Then it begins to morph into this wine-esque sip, thick in body and texture, with both red and green grapes popping in like fireworks.

The spice is still there too, with cinnamon, nutmeg and white pepper combining pleasantly.

First impressions are certainly that this is sweet, almost like a fruit syrup. If I look past these dominant flavors, there are peeled caramel apples. Think of the ones you could get from a fast food joint. No, that’s not as criticism.

I can’t find too much grain, aside from a raw and fibrous chew that seems a bit like a misfit amongst the fruit sweetness, but I’m not disappointed. I suppose if I squint, I can taste some peanuts, which are working to contribute both a savory and sweet element. This pairs with a heavy oak quite nicely.

A Kentucky chew wakes up some maraschino cherries and gives a solid punch of alcohol that tingles so much that it is almost painful. Almost.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Surprisingly, this only has a medium finish. I’d expect more from high proof products generally, but it’s still decent.
– Between Sips: Wheat (maybe hay) and some light oak sawdust are the most obvious between sips. There is a twinge of of floral and fruit notes that are indistinct and more like impressions rather than fully-developed presences.

– No More: Plenty of warmth and cherries continue to develop the further I get into the glass, along with green grapes found in fruit cups.

The empty Glencairn might as well be a lumber mill with how much oak, particularly sawdust, is bursting from the glass. I absolutely love this smell.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I think that it is quite rare to find something that is such a high proof from a well-known distillery priced at just $50. If you find a Stagg Jr., I definitely think it’s worth it. If you are just a beginner at whiskey or bourbon, however, wait until you are ready for such a high proof.

RATING: 93/100

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Click 93/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
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Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review

Brian’s Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review:

written on 07-March-2020

STAGG JR BATCH #12 BOURBON REVIEW:

Stagg Jr Batch #12 is incredibly complex; its aromas and flavors never stop coming (as seen in the traits wheel below). My salivary glands were preparing as I nosed, and even so, at the first sip they weren’t quite ready for the flavor explosion. While quite hot, this is a phenomenal pour. I wish it wasn’t limited by the one bottle left in the cabinet.

STAGG JR BATCH 12 VITAL STATS:
Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review

– Batch 12, Released Summer of 2019*
– Category: Small Batch
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace
– Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (low rye <10% rye)
– Cask: New charred oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Age: nas (~8 years)
– ABV: 66.05% (132.1 Proof)
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at https://buffalotracedistillery.com/.

*Other than ABV and proof numbers, bottles of Stagg Jr have no batch or other identifiers. An internet search for the proof of “132.3” reveals this bottle to be Batch 12, bottled in the summer of 2019.

Go to bourbonex.com for detailed Stagg Jr, batch information.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

The first full draw is pure ethyl alcohol: harsh and strong, but with just a little time the heat fades to a fine herbally-sherried potpourri of freshly opened tobacco pouches and drying corn. Hints of berries, apricots and bitter citrus zest and dark fruits of raisins and figs mix with a dusting of cinnamon, ginger and pepper. Careful nosing is treated with bittersweet chocolate and light vanilla infused rye bread. The sweets keep coming as brown sugar and light molasses meld traces of pecan nuttiness into fresh cut oak and hazy barrel char. This is a musty pour as a damp potting soil element adds depth and complexity.

PALATE:

As on the nose, the first sip is strong; it is both hot and throat warming. As my mouth acclimates, fine sherry mixes with an herbalness of faint roasted corn. Citrus zest and blood orange freshness weave in and out with dried, tart montmorency cherries, dark raisins and figs. Spices of ginger, black pepper, and rye blend with bittersweet chocolate chips and light vanilla. Most of the sweetness in the juice comes from fruit, however there are simple elements of brown sugared caramel and maple syrup as well. This bourbon is wood forward with plenty of fresh cut dry and heavy oak blending with smoky-sweet and hazy barrel spice. I love its musty earthiness.

Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This is solid and a well blended bourbon. As I nosed, saliva filled my mouth in anticipation of the first sip, yet when I tasted, the flavors were a bit unexpected; I sensed a subtle yet enjoyable aftertaste. In my mouth, the juice is complex, big and quite viscous, rough and gritty. In the Glencairn, its well defined but thin crown clings then gives up long legs which fall into the terracotta colored pool.

FINISH:

At 132.3 proof, Stagg Jr Batch 12 offers an exceptionally long and heated finish. After a good chew, the heat gives the throat a nice warming as its many aromas and flavors blend. Sensations of cherry infused sherry and faint herbal tobacco notes fade into citrus zest returning to dark fruit leather. Loads of black pepper and rye spice continue to balance fruity and faint maple syrup sweetness. While the mustiness sensed on the palate adds complexity, dry and heavy oak is ever present as the barrel is easily found in the empty Glencairn with simple wafting.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Stagg.

WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review
Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review

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What Bottles Do You Have Open Right Now?

What Bottles Do You Have Open Right Now?

As I sit here tonight, enjoying a dram or two of Michter’s US-1 (which has been in bunker for a while), I got to thinking … “What bottles do you have open right now?”

Don’t misunderstand … This bottle wasn’t opened because nothing else was available, rather my daughter was looking to review a whiskey I’ve already enjoyed (she likes to do this under the pretence she’s catching up) and Michter’s was on deck. I could have brought down another for myself, but as I hadn’t sipped Michter’s in a while, I thought why not?

Now I know many folks buy a bottle or two and enjoy each until they’re gone, then pick up a replacement down the line – and that’s fine. However, I like options. You see, for me at least, bourbon is more than a drink to close an evening. I don’t have a pour every night, but when I do look in the cabinet, the juice speaks to me, and I’ll reach for the bottle that talks to my mood. (Last week Weller Antique had quite a lot to say.)

When Hannah and I began our whiskey blogging adventure, we decided it was going to be fun. If it ever became a job, or the process was forced, we’d stop. We still try to review one new whiskey together each week, and Hannah does try to play catch-up (like tonight), but on occasion I’ll enjoy a dram with no pressure to share my thoughts. Because of our process, more than a few bottles are open from which we can draw. So with the above in mind, here’s our open bottle list (please don’t judge/we’ll leave the closed bottle options up to your imagination):

– 1792 Small Batch
– Angel’s Envy
– Booker’s 2019-01
– Booker’s 2019-03
– Colonel Taylor Small Batch
– Dry Fly 101
– Dry Fly Straight Triticale Whiskey
– Eagle Rare
– Elijah Craig Small Batch
– Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118
– Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119
– George Dickel #12
– Larceny
– Maker’s Mark Private Select Idaho Batch #3
– Maker’s Mark Private Select Idaho Batch #7
– Michter’s US-1
– Rebel Yell Single Barrel
– Weller Antique 107

For those of you who are counting, that’s nine ryed, six wheated, an alternate grain, one port barrel finished, and a Tennessee whiskey. Seven are of the high proof variety and of the group, nine are there because of recent reviews. Do I have a favorite? You bet! Two of the top five bourbons I’ve ever enjoyed are on the list. A couple bottles have just a single pour remaining and I’ll be sad when they’re gone. A few more won’t or can’t be replaced when gone due to limited release status, or they were just plain bad, in which case, we’ll see if those get finished at all.

The roster changes, ebbing as a bottle is emptied and growing over time as a new evaluation subject is opened. I consider some to be “daily drinkers”, or regulars in the rotation (Colonel Taylor, Dry Fly 101, Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig, Weller, and there is always a Booker’s ready to go). Seasoned veterans like these are my benchmarks and have a home in the bunker. Each can hit the spot for any particular mood I may be feeling.

But the real story here is about memories. Each bottle means something to me. I first enjoyed expressions of Elijah Craig, Eagle Rare and Colonel Taylor years ago, and I love Booker’s – I hold the Backyard BBQ batch in high esteem. The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof’s pack the heat and the A118 is my favorite bourbon to date. The Maker’s Private Selects are special Idaho releases. And the others I’ve reviewed with my daughter and had with friends while enjoying their company.

With the above in mind, I’ll make this recommendation … Have more than a few bottles open in your bunker. You’ll be rewarded each time the cabinet is opened … Memories from the past will blend into those you’re making now.

Do you have any daily sippers or constants in your bunker that I’m missing? What bottles do you have open right now? Click “Leave a Reply” below to comment!

Cheers!

written by Brian Dawson,

WhiskeyfortheAges.com

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