stagg jr bourbon Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

Stagg Jr. Batch #17 Bourbon Review

Posted on 01-May-202229-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Stagg Jr Batch #17 Bourbon Review

Original review written April 26, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Another great addition to the Stagg Jr. line, though it’s potentially the last before we move to just “Stagg.” Deep, warm, complex – it’s high proof good bourbon. 94/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas (believed to be 8-9 yrs.)
– Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (low rye <10%; speculated corn around 75%)
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Cask Strength/Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 64.35% (128.7 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho in 2021

For more information, visit buffalotracedistillery.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine a sunset horizon in the distance with the sun having just disappeared. There’s enough light to see the world, but the colors are faint and fading fast. In the distance, pink and orange are the only identifiable colors, and you feel comfortable and peaceful knowing it’s just you and those colors. Stagg Jr. Batch #17 is suddenly the only thing needed to make your appreciation of them profound. After all, it’s how a beautiful day should end.

Photo by Luke Moss on Unsplash

NOSE:

Caramel, milk chocolate, peaches, and freshly baked bread all attack the nose collectively on the first inhale, being distinct enough to be both recognizable and enjoyable. Deeper inhales find lemon zest, shaved peanuts and waffle cone sweetness on one hand, and black and white pepper on the other. They are more difficult to distinguish; however, there is a specific bite given only by black pepper, and a characteristic sweetness found with the bite of the white pepper. The blend enhances one another as well as the other sugary flavors.

Other spice includes rye, which combines with the pepper blend to aggravate an already alcohol-forward nose. There’s even a wine tannin aspect that deepens the alcohol into something both rich and zinging.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This has a big mouth feel – from the alcohol warmth to spice and fruit depth. It’s all encompassing and full, and everything you’d want a bourbon to be.
– Balance: Solid. The depth and richness make it complex, even when there aren’t many distinct forward flavors.
– Visual: Terracotta pot in color, there are many long, thick legs that drop from an eventual even ring – looking very much like veins.

– Taste: First impression: WOW that’s good. The alcohol isn’t immediately aggressive, and I’m able to sit with it for a while before feeling prompted to do anything. When I move it around on the palate, cherries, caramel, and bitter, yet creamy hazelnuts in a chocolate spread settle in. The result is warm, rich and complex bourbon with the burn kicking up especially at the back end of the sip. There’s a hint of barrel char, but I think it adds more as a spice than anything else or foundational.

The alcohol certainly grows, and with a Kentucky chew, the cherry becomes more pronounced, along with black pepper and the addition of a dark berry that makes it that much more jammy. That being said, the chew does induce many needles to stab at the tongue, and that sensation is slightly less pleasant.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The warmth expands from the palate itself to the belly where a Kentucky hug is definitely possible, if you aren’t careful. Flavor lingers behind a little as well.
– Between Sips: Funnel cake sits between sips – a surprise, but certainly a welcome one. There might be a bread element here too, but it would be a sweet bread without question.

– No More: Bourbon heat only escalates, along with the richness of each of the flavors the further into the glass I get. What was already a great pour on the first sip, continues to become more complex and deeper; I couldn’t be happier.

The empty Glencairn is dark, deep sawdust – enticing, warm and everything I’d want an empty Glencairn to be.

WORTH THE PRICE?

It’s a Stagg Jr. It’s $50 USD. It is high proof bourbon. It will always be worth it.

STAGG JR BATCH #17 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 94/100

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Stagg Jr. Batch #16 Bourbon Review

Posted on 07-February-202229-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Stagg Jr Batch #16 Bourbon Review

Original review written February 1, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A creamy mouth feel with rich, fruity, woody punches – all matched with high proof bourbon complexity. Solid offering, and I’m glad it’s open in the bunker at last. 94/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas (believed to be ~8yrs.)
– Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (low rye <10%; speculated corn around 75%)
– Casks: Char #4
– Non-chill filtered
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 65.45% (130.9 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho 2021

For more information, visit buffalotracedistillery.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This bourbon screams for a creative mind. Even though I am not an artist, I still feel the urge to pull out paints and brushes and let this bourbon take me wherever it wants to go across the canvas. The richness and complexity of this bourbon calls for vibrant colors, with a flair for messy as the brush hurries to make the image in your head a reality. Maybe it doesn’t look the best (maybe it’s not supposed to look like the best). Maybe it’s just supposed to be an honest, deep thought with colors. This bourbon would be your best critic and supporter all in one.

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

NOSE:

Sharp berries, cherries, and apple cross the nose first, followed quickly by a white pepper and alcohol bite. With them is a perfect golden caramel, cinnamon, and maple sugar, contributing to the sweetness and making my salivary glands already excited. There is also a yellow cake element, maybe one with a dark chocolate marbling in it. Deep inhales coax out the corn, decidedly roasted, and an almost salty leather. A bitter nuttiness comes with the corn at the very end of the inhale, mixing with the sting of the alcohol. And despite the alcohol being most certainly present, it isn’t acetone-like, and I hesitate to even name it ethanol. I’d call it fiery and leave it at that.

Oak is present; however, it is very hidden and subdued behind all of the fruit sweetness and alcohol burn. The oak that is there, is spicy and freshly sawn.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Creamy. The alcohol bite is certainly there, but this bourbon still has a distinct thickness to it, and I quite enjoy that.
– Balance: Complex. The sharpness of many of the flavors makes the bourbon angular; however, the creaminess softens the edges.
– Visual: Mahogany in color, this has a very faint ring, and the spirit falls in sheets, therefore leaving very few legs behind.

– Taste: The first sip immediately lets you know that it is a high proof bourbon, already stinging at the lips and not wanting to linger on the tip of the tongue for long. Cherries are much more pronounced on the palate than they were on the nose. They are chased by cashews, caramel… and cream? I rarely – if ever – find cream in a bourbon; however, I do find it subtly here, and I like the way it contributes to the mouth feel, and especially how it sits with the cherries. The cream also comes with some dark vanilla flavoring – dark enough to be almost bitter, but not quite.

Spice is similar to what was found on the nose – white pepper and cinnamon. These spices ingrain themselves firmly into the now present barrel char flavor of this bourbon. The barrel is strong, slightly bitter, simultaneously sweetened and heated by the spice. Naturally, along with the high proof, the bite of Batch #16 can be quite strong. On some sips, you’re lulled into a false sense of security with the creamy quality, and then given a hefty Kentucky Hug when you least expect it.

When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the burn and pain is much like needles to the tongue. That being said, a fresh oak, more nuts, and toffee appear on the taste buds.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long-Very long. The heat goes on and on and on after the sip is over, despite not many flavors left in the aftertaste.
– Between Sips: A light fruit leather lingers between sips, but it dissipates quickly, leaving a mostly clean and warm finish behind.

– No More: The greatest change in this bourbon is not necessarily new flavors to notice or the elevation of others (though the caramel does grow to be slightly more formidable). Rather, the heat continues grow and threatens constantly to give a surprise Kentucky Hug. I’m trying to be careful and respectful, but I already know I won’t get out of this pour without a hug somewhere.

The empty Glencairn is fresh sawdust and smoke, playful with a nip of that proof that makes you want another glass.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

– This section written on February 6, 2022 –

Stagg Jr Batch #16 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 #16 to detect any potential differences:

This still smells like a Stagg Jr. on the nose; however, there is even less of an alcohol sting now that the water is added. I can also find a sprinkling of coconut shavings, and maybe even a sudden coconut milk component to sweeten the nose. The sip is still sweet (naturally with less heat), though now heavier on baking sweet flavors, like vanilla, chocolate curls, and a cakey element. The newfound coconut in the nose is also here. Overall, the flavors are more akin now to a certain cookie that comes out in spring with coconut, chocolate, and caramel ;). The pour remains great, and I don’t think I could choose between the two drops variation or having it neat. It would just depend on mood. (RATING: 93/100)

This smells immediately sugary with caramel, with little to no alcohol burn. There’s more coconut and now even marshmallow on this nose. The palate continues with the caramel/simple syrup and comes across as a one-hit wonder. There’s a bitterness trailing the caramel, which doesn’t quite help the simple sweet flavor. Nevertheless, if you are wanting to get into high proofs, and want to ease into it without shocking the senses, this is solid way to go. I say this because I *know* that if I wasn’t aware of this being Stagg Jr., and was given this blind, I’d likely enjoy it just fine – even with it being less complex. (RATING: 87/100)

WORTH THE PRICE?

As I say with every Stagg Jr., $50 USD for a high proof, complex, deep bourbon is always a bargain. If you can find any batch, get it. Consider adding some water if the proof is too aggressive for your tastes. No matter where you are in your bourbon journey; Stagg Jr.’s always can find a way to shine.

STAGG JR BATCH #16 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 94/100

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Stagg Jr. Batch #15 Bourbon Review

Posted on 13-September-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

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:

– 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:

– 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: 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

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