Brian’s Stagg Jr Batch 16 Review:
reviewed 01-February-2022
STAGG JR BATCH 16 BOURBON REVIEW:
It has been over two months since we last reviewed a barrel proof bourbon and it seems even longer since something stellar was opened. Welcome Stagg Jr Batch 16 (Stagg Jr B16), a bourbon which ticks my boxes … High proof – check; fruit, spice, sweet and wood, check, check, check, and check. This is a dark and wonderful treat for the senses to which some drinkers may want to add a drop or two of water. Stagg bottles always impress and when found on the shelf at retail or even in the slightly elevated range of $60-80 they should be bought and taken home. But please, don’t pay ridiculous secondary, ever.
STAGG JR BATCH 16 VITAL STATS:
Category: Barrel Proof Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Buffalo Trace
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (low rye <10% rye, speculated to be about 75% corn, 10% rye and 15% malted barley)
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: nas (believed to be ~8 years)
Released: Summer 2021
ABV: 65.45% (130.9 Proof)
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
NABCA CSC #: 21540
Price: $49.95 (Idaho, October-2021)
Other than ABV and proof numbers, bottles of Stagg Jr have no batch or other identifiers on the label.
Learn more at Buffalo Trace Brands
and BoubonEx – Stagg Jr Releases.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
Taken out of the newly opened bottle, the first one and a half ounces mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating pours, four once review amounts went into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
STAGG JR BATCH 16 NOSE:
When I first brought the glass to my nose I got little if any alcohol. But as I sniff, Stagg Jr B16 becomes a dried potpourri of fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn and dusty grain. With further nosing I get fresh apples, a bit of apricot, something tropical and drying currants and soft gourmet raisins. The tropical fruit remains undefined as it drifts in and out, but spices of toasted cinnamon sticks, crushed green peppercorns and rye are easy to detect. The spice aromas are balanced by sweets of vanilla custard, brown sugar, dark molasses and toffee covered nuts. But to me and my nose, Batch 16 is wood forward, with strong, heavy old oak, some smoky-sweet barrel char and anchored by damp leather.
STAGG JR BATCH 16 PALATE:
The flavors of Stagg Jr B16 come in waves. The first sip is dry. Then comes roasted corn and grain followed by apple pipe tobacco, dark cherries, currants and raisins. My mouth salivates in self defense as it tries to calm the heat of cinnamon, ginger and pepper. But there is just enough light vanilla in the browned butter, brown sugar caramel to help calm the senses. In the next sips, there’s more dark molasses and then toffee covered walnuts backed by strong flavors of oak, more smoky-sweet barrel char and leather. Drinking this pour is a workout for the mouth, esophagus and senses.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
With a good Kentucky Chew Stagg Jr B16 bites and has the potential to give a burning hug. One needs to be careful with this (and all Stagg offerings for that matter.) Each sip is challenging to hold, yet this bourbon has both depth and balance. It is rough and gritty on the tongue and causes the mouth to salivate in defence. I do not think I could find all its nuances in a single pour and I welcome the next. In the Glencairn thin widespread legs glide the sip dregs back to the mahogany colored pool, leaving behind a thin crown ring.
STAGG JR BATCH 16 FINISH:
Stagg Jr Batch 16 has a long warm tongue tingling finish which simply wants to fight. As each sip fades, dusty grain seems to mix with ginger and pepper, faint brown sugar and molasses. I have been on the verge of a Kentucky Hug all night, yet I am truly enjoying the bite and heat. In between sips, as other flavors fade, seasoned oak, char, and some smoky-sweet leather soothes the heat. When the last dram is downed, I smell smoky barrel char, and oak sawdust in the empty Glencairn along with some lingering some heat.
THE ADDITION OF WATER
Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and allow aromas and flavors to bloom. The addition of 2-4 drops will not radically lower the proof of the pour. Re-evaluation of Stagg Jr B16 occurred a few days after our initial review using measured pours and precise amounts of distilled water to determine the effect.
Adding two drops to 1.5 ounces of this bourbon reduces the proof to 130.52 (down from 130.9). As I nose, the dried potpourri, roasted corn and dusty grain still comes through as does notes of apricot and gourmet raisins. There are spices of toasted cinnamon sticks and rye but now the tropical notes come as toasted coconut shavings in a hint of milk chocolate, vanilla custard, brown sugar, and dark molasses. As I drink this watered sample, many of the aromas pass to the palate and my mouth salivates to tame the heat allowing for a long throat warming finish. For me, two drops do not improve nor detract from the pour.
Adding four drops to 1.5 ounces of the bourbon lowers the proof to 130.14. While four drops do not seem like much to most people, for me, both the aromas and flavors become washed and the finish shortens. With the added water, Stagg Jr Batch 16 is still a fine bourbon, but for me, I will finish my bottle with no more blending.
MY RATING: 92/100;
… with two drops 92/100;
… with four drops 90/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 92/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Stagg.
WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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