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

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews

Stagg Jr Batch 13 Review

Brian’s Stagg Jr Batch 13 Review:

30-October-2020

STAGG JR BATCH 13 BOURBON REVIEW:

What a bourbon! For those of you who have wished for a barrel proof Eagle Rare, this is it. The nose is full of dark fruit and woody goodness, and the palate fortifies the earthy aromas. And oh what a finish – my mouth waters at the memory. This bourbon is so good I had to get more when the evaluation pour was emptied. Usually when I prepare a review, I work my way around the Bourbon Flavor Wheel we’ve created. Not so this time; I bounced from side to side, top to bottom and even added more aromas as I tasted this fine elixir.

STAGG JR BATCH 13* VITAL STATS:
Stagg Jr Batch 13 Review

Category: Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Buffalo Trace
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (low rye <=10% rye) Believed to be ~ 75% corn, 10% rye, 15% malted barley
Cask: New charred oak
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Barrel Char: #4
Age: nas (believed to be ~8 years)
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
ABV: 64.2% (128.4 Proof)
Price $49.95 (Dec 2019 in Idaho)

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

*Other than ABV and proof numbers, batch info is not printed on bottles of Stagg Jr. An internet search for the proof of “128.4” reveals this bottle to be Batch 13, bottled in the fall of 2019.

*See bourbonex.com for Stagg Jr batch detail.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared Glencairns of Batch 13 with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

STAGG JR BATCH 13 NOSE:

As I noted above, Stagg Jr Batch 13 is an amazing bourbon; there are so many aromas to test the nose. At first it is dry and hot as it nips with aromas of sherry wine and a potpourri of fragrant dried fruit blossoms, mixed with roasted corn and dusty grain. Then oddly satisfying notes of chocolate covered Maraschino cherries and juicy dried apple blend into humble apple cinnamon pie filling, cloves and a sensation of light rye. Sweets of chocolate cream and vanilla custard greet the nose as maple sugar, buttery woody caramel and chocolate covered roasted pine-nut toffee rise from the Glencairn. Most surprising for me was the sweet aroma of blueberry nectar which came after a solid Kentucky Chew. And at all times, dry, seasoned and hazy, toasted oak waft in on fragrant worked leather. Batch 13 is solid, earthy and deep.

STAGG JR BATCH 13 PALATE:

I enjoyed a nice burn upon taking the first sip. Gone are the floral elements, but the roasted corn and dusty grain remain as do Maraschino cherries joined by dried dark fruit and plump juicy gourmet raisins. And after a a long Kentucky Chew, blueberry nectar. Spices of cinnamon, black pepper and rye dance on the tongue with sweets of melting chocolate coins, dark vanilla, woody caramel and the chocolate covered roasted pine-nut toffee sensed on the nose. And as on each waft dry, heavily seasoned and hazy, toasted oak and harness leather tantalize. Stagg Jr Batch 13 generates saliva even when not in the mouth.

Stagg Jr Batch 13 Review

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Batch 13 is well blended, viscous, oily and rich, yet rough on the tongue when held in the mouth. In the Glencairn evenly spaced well defined crown which remains after each sip as thin fast dropping long legs return to the burnt amber colored pool.

STAGG JR BATCH 13 FINISH:

Stagg Jr Batch 13 finishes exceptionally long as its flavors linger on the tongue and in my mouth and throat. Blueberries and an undefined juicy dark stone fruit are blended with spices of cinnamon and black pepper and a not unpleasant aftertaste of dark molasses. When the pour is gone, hints of alcohol, dry old oak and barrel char and notes of worked leather waft from the Glencairn.

STAGG JR BATCH 13 RATING: 94/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
(And I would buy more if found at or under $100.00 – double MSRP.)
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

The score of 94 was the highest I’d given a whiskey at the time of this review (Fall 2020). Click 94/100 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 13 Review
Stagg Jr Batch 13 Review

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews

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

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews