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Stagg Jr. Batch #12 Bourbon Review

Posted on 10-March-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

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:

– 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:

– 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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Stagg Jr Batch #12 Review

Posted on 09-March-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

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:

– 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.

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.}

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WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Elijah Craig Small Batch 2019 Idaho Batch #1 Review

Posted on 03-March-202028-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Elijah Craig Small Batch Private Barrel 2019 Idaho State Liquor Division Batch #1 Review

Original review written February 29, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Elijah Craig Small Batch 2019 Idaho Batch #1 Review: You may recognize that you’re drinking Heaven’s Hill’s Elijah Craig, but you’ll know that you’ve got something a bit more special and complex than the standard Small Batch offering. 89/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch; State Private Barrel Select
– Age: 9 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=78%; Rye=10%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 47% (94 proof)
– Non-Chill Filtered
– Barrel Serial Number: 5682075*
– Warehouse: Q-5 (HH main)
– Price: $29.95 USD in Idaho
*Barrel 5682075 was purchased by the Idaho State Liquor Division for exclusive release to state patrons. As a result, availability is highly limited.

Visit heavenhill.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian. For comparison methods, I also sipped the standard Elijah Craig Small Batch neat from a whiskey tumbler. I will make brief notes of comparison in this Idaho Private Barrel review.

Check out Brian’s review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I’d love to perch on a ridge, looking down in a crisp and green valley, grasses and trees swaying with a soft summer wind. The crystal blue skies match all of the vibrant greens in the valley and in the uprising slopes beyond. This pour is nature in a whiskey: complex, wild, and ever-surprising.

Photo by Zach Taiji on Unsplash

NOSE:

There is alcohol here, yes, but there is a floral component that is quite strong as well. With it are dark fruits, likely a stone fruit, but I can’t distinguish it further. There is allspice, heavier on the cinnamon perhaps, but it isn’t aggressive. I find a deep vanilla essence too, which makes for a pleasant balance. This couples with an equally dark brown sugar. I also can sense some pecans and seasoned oak. Overall, it has a robust character that is both warm and inviting.

– Compared to Elijah Craig Small Batch (ECSB): Batch #1 is much deeper than its standard sibling, with a larger brown sugar element.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Oily with a pleasant, tingly texture.
– Balance: Batch #1 is very complex; there is fruit, but earthy tones certainly dominate.
– Visual: Mahogany with Henna notes, there are thick legs that droop from a weak crown, but they drip quickly. (Note that ECSB is lighter in color.)

Elijah Craig Batch #1 (left); Standard Elijah Craig Small Batch (ECSB) (right)

– Taste: Not too alcohol forward, the fruit and flowers remain the most predominant flavors. While I feel like there are dark fruits, the vibe of this bourbon is remarkably light and fresh. I get a pinch of black pepper and some rye heat that eventually gives way to a cherry and apple flavored pastry, drizzled with some simple sugar frosting that isn’t overpowering the fruit at all.

The character also opens up here too, coming across earthier than it was on the nose, as I can taste a little bit of leather out of the glass along with a little bit of grass at the end of the sip.

The nuts have disappeared, but the oak seems stronger in the palate than in the nose, constituting a decent base for this bourbon.

A Kentucky chew keeps the sip smooth with a slight tingle. Dried cherries come out here, which mix with the leather, grass, and a dusty, earthy soil. Very complex and entertaining.

– Compared to ECSB: Batch #1 is far more complex and textured on the palate as well than the standard ECSB, with heavier spices and earthy richness being the most notable difference.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short to medium. You know you’ve had a sip of bourbon, but you’ll forget pretty quickly.
– Between Sips: Grass and cherries stick around a bit between sips, but the natural subtlety of the grass soon mellows the cherries (and itself) into nothingness.

– No More: Without needing to get very far in the glass, the aforementioned fruits and pastry elements all but disappear, leaving grassy grains, leather (very aged/worn) and dusty soil to steal the stage. The cherries sneak in and out though, which keeps things interesting.

The empty Glencairn is a light oak that is only strong on a very deep inhales. Either way, I’m very pleased.

– Compared to ECSB: I actually think the standard ECSB outmatches Batch #1 in the finish, as ESCB persists with a greater sense of cherry flavors and more warmth.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I think I prefer Batch #1 to standard ECSB, but with both priced at just $30, you cannot go wrong with either of them.

RATING: 89/100

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Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
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