Stagg Jr. Batch #15 Bourbon Review

Hannah’s Stagg Jr Batch #15 Bourbon Review

Original review written September 7, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This certainly meets and exceeds Stagg Jr. Batch expectations. Plenty of heat while not drinking like a 131 proof exactly, this still manages a beautiful blend. 93/100

VITALS:
Stagg Jr Batch #15 Bourbon Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: nas (~8 yrs.)
– Mash Bill: Mash #1 (low rye <10%)
– Casks: Char #4
– Non-Chill Filtered
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 65.55% (131.1 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho

For more information, visit buffalotracedistillery.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

Stagg Jr. Batch #15 is the perfect bourbon to relax with on your porch during the autumn season. The air has a small chill, and all of the leaves are starting to change their color, and some may even fall to sit with you. Winter is still far off, and the air tastes sweet, and all you need to stay warm is a glass of good bourbon.

Photo by Craig Dimmick on Unsplash

NOSE:

Brown sugar, allspice, white pepper, butterscotch… flavors are just begging to burst from the glass even on the first inhale. This has already a textural component, despite it being just the nose. I get a thick, syrup quality, maybe like corn syrup, but with dark cherries and a bit of molasses mixed in. The alcohol is also a very forward and definitely can hurt if you aren’t careful.

After it aerates for a while, a grape – almost wine-like element comes forth, perhaps like a pinot-noir as there is plenty of sweetness to be found. Dark vanilla also emerges with some oak sawdust, and the nutmeg aspect of the allspice only becomes more fragrant. And strangely enough, perhaps I am imagining it, but I can detect some sweetened banana chips with some citrus blossoms for extra fruit.

Overall, (I think it should be obvious), I love how this smells, so much so, I could contentedly just sit and smell this all night long.

PALATE:
Stagg Jr Batch #15 Bourbon Review

– Mouth Feel: This has a raspy feel to it, grabbing onto taste buds and leaving the palate tingly.
– Balance: This is incredibly well-blended. Beyond the heat, it can be quite difficult to pull individual flavors. Still, the flavors that are found are absolutely delicious and very cohesive with one another.
– Visual: Terracotta in color, the ring is almost perfectly formed with many thin legs dropping to coalesce into fewer, thicker ones. Beyond this, there is a filmy residue that goes all the way up to the lip of the Glencairn. This has occurred in both Dad’s and my glasses, and we have never seen the likes of it before, nor do we know what it could be.

– Taste: The flavors on the palate are not as readily apparent as they were on the nose. The initial alcohol burn cuts through many of the flavors and obscures them. Nevertheless, I find a very crisp apple, a hard caramel candy, corn, and cinnamon predominantly. Finding much else is admittedly quite difficult, as the blend makes this very cohesive. If I really look, I can identify a simple syrup and maybe blackberry juice mingling with the main flavors.

The back of my palate has a raspy texture, where some other flavors try to peek through. Among them are some dark dried fruits and ginger that kicks up the heat. With the heat is some seasoned/spicy oak and the hint of something bitter. It could be nutty, could be zesty (most likely), or something even herbal.

My palate has acclimated to the burn, and I find I can let it sit at the tip of my tongue for some time. However, the flavor profile does not change much. When I do a Kentucky chew, my palate feels prickled, and my salivary glands are working overtime to soothe the burn. A musty age comes out with some brininess.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The heat lingers for quite some time in the throat, and the flavor does a pretty good job of keeping up with it.
– Between Sips: I find some of the mustiness from the Kentucky chew between sips. It’s aged wood, and dusty grain, but it doesn’t leave a bad taste in the mouth at all.

– No More: Some sweetness grows the further into the glass I get, with caramel and maple syrup growing to become the most dominant flavors. There is also a resurgence of cherry and other dark fruit nectar. A great bourbon only becoming greater is what that means.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet oak with a bit of simple syrup. It matches the theme of the bourbon overall, being rich, deep, and intense.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

– This section written on September 11, 2021 –

Stagg Jr Batch #15 Bourbon Review

Stagg Jr Batch #15 Bourbon Review: Water can often tame bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically change the proof of the pour. Rather water may help open the spirit allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. As such, 2 and 4 drops of distilled water were added to their own respective 1.5 oz. pours of Stagg Jr. Batch #15 to detect any potential differences:

A sudden mineral quality jumps out on the taste with two drops added. There is still a crispness with some of the flavors of the neat pour, but this tastes quite clean. I also get a higher concentration of brininess on this palate too that makes me salivate. The alcohol is a bit of a punch, and it pairs nicely with some cherry chasing after it, but it’s not overwhelming. Note that these differences from the neat pour are extremely subtle, and I don’t think this bourbon improves or worsens with the addition of two drops. The mineral essence is the only thing I can see as being a hindrance. (RATING: 91/100)

Four drops has certainly made this even more mild, with only a little raspy heat coming in at the back of the palate. Traditional bourbon notes with some wood provide a foundation, but a lot of the other flavors have dissipated significantly. Some of the fruitiness is still present, but it’s more on the finish than on the actual palate. The brininess is about the same as it was with two drops, but it’s now coupled with a barrel char bitterness. I imagine if you like scotches, this may be quite appealing, but if I’m drinking a high proof bourbon, I am looking always for sweetness first. This is still decent, but I definitely recommend enjoying this neat, but if you need water, add only two drops. (RATING: 88/100)

WORTH THE PRICE?

As always, $50 USD for a Stagg Jr. (a high proof, well-blended, sophisticated bourbon) is undoubtedly worth it. If you find any Stagg Jr., I highly recommend trying it out if you can handle the heat they bring.

STAGG JR BATCH #15 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 93/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 93/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Stagg.

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Stagg Jr Batch 15 Bourbon

Brian’s Stagg Jr Batch 15 Bourbon Review:

07-September-2021

STAGG JR BATCH 15 BOURBON REVIEW:

Stagg Jr Batch 15 is a solid bourbon, even though it is a bit disjointed. It’s aromas don’t pass through to the palate and seem to be missing from the finish as well, yet it is still a pleasing pour. While certainly mouth-warming, Batch 15 doesn’t drink like a 131 proof whiskey and for me, there was never the threat of a Kentucky Hug. I look forward to the next glass.

STAGG JR BATCH 15 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Stagg Jr Batch 15 Bourbon

Category: Barrel Proof Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Buffalo Trace
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (low rye <10% rye)
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: nas (~8 years)
Released: Winter 2020
ABV: 65.55% (131.1 Proof)
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
Price: $49.95 (Idaho, Apr-2021)
Other than ABV and proof numbers, bottles of Stagg Jr have no batch or other identifiers on the label. It is they which identify the batch.

Learn more at Buffalo Trace Brands
and BoubonEx – Stagg Jr Releases.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

A new bottle was opened and the first 1.4 ounces were put into our Infinity Project. Then alternate pours were added to Glencairns providing evaluation portions. The bourbon was assessed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah. Several days later Stagg Jr Batch 15 was reviewed again, this time with the addition of water as noted below.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

STAGG JR BATCH 15 BOURBON NOSE:

Stagg Jr Batch 15 has an amazing aroma. I get no bite or burn as fruit tree blossoms in a light breeze blend with fresh shucked sweet corn. There are also aromas fresh cut apples dipped in caramel, sweet Rainier cherries, fresh sliced ripe plums and notes of single fresh picked lemon. The spices I get are faint and come as a dusting of cinnamon, powdered ginger, and white pepper. But then yellow cake with light vanilla backs simple syrup, brown and maple sugar drizzled over chopped almonds and pine nuts. The aroma is gentle and light with only a little light oak coming through.

STAGG JR BATCH 15 BOURBON PALATE:

Stagg Jr Batch 15 warms the mouth with notes of dry roasted corn and dark dried figs. None of the fruits sensed on the nose can be tasted. However spices of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and rye blend well with sweets of burnt sugar, burnt caramel, and dark molasses over roasted nuts. There is much more wood on the palate as dry old oak and hazy toasted barrel char come through as does an interesting note of dry leather. Batch 15 drinks warm but not like one would expect from a 131 proof bourbon.

Stagg Jr Batch 15 Bourbon

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Stagg Jr Batch 15 is well balanced, viscous and oily once the mouth acclimates. When the first sip is held, this bourbon is rough and gritty on the tongue but the sensation fades after a few moments. In the Glencairn thin and tiny long clinging legs return the dregs to the terracotta pot colored pool leaving behind a perfectly formed but thin crown.

STAGG JR BATCH 15 BOURBON FINISH:

Stagg Jr Batch 15 has a medium long finish with most of its fleeting sensations felt on the back of the tongue and in the throat. The whiskey is hot, rough and gritty and I feel the suggestion of cherry juice in each swallow. Most flavors do not linger but I get spices of black pepper and rye and sweets of lightly burnt sugar and dark molasses. The old oak and toasted barrel char I sensed on the palate dominate. Yet most unusual was the appearance of an unexpected film left by the drawn down liquid inside the glass. And almost hidden in the finish is the remembrance of drowned campfire ashes and old saddle leather, both of which can be wafted from the empty Glencairn.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically drop the proof of the pour. Rather, water may help open the spirit allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. So, four evenings after the initial tasting, distilled water was added to controlled pours of Batch 15 to learn its effect.

Two drops were added to 1.5 ounces, lowering the proof to 130.72 (down from 131.1). The drops do little to calm the heat and the roasted corn and dark fruit remain. The cinnamon, black pepper and rye are strong as ever although the sweets of dark brown and burnt sugar seem slightly diminished. But still present is the woodiness and barrel char. To me, two drops have a negligible effect on Stagg Jr Batch 15.

After downing the two drop sample, four drops were added to another 1.5 ounces lowering the proof to 130.34. Four drops dampen the heat ever so slightly and for me, the big flavors begin to wash together. Any individual dark fruits are gone. And while I like wood, it now dominates the sweet, leaving black pepper and bitterness to stand alone.

While everyone is different, for me there is no reason for water in future pours of Batch 15.

MY STAGG JR BATCH 15 RATING: 88/100; with Water 87/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I will always seek bottles of Stagg Jr. regardless of how any of the previous bottles are rated. They are consistently good to great and at MSRP are a fantastic value.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 88/100 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 15 Bourbon
Stagg Jr Batch 15 Bourbon

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