Stagg Jr Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch 17

Received 2 oz sample from a friend Nose - Medicinal grape and cherry cough syrup, bubble gum, brown sugar, caramel, toasted marshmallow, milk chocolate, medium oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Chocolate covered cherries, raisins, light tobacco, sweet oak, maple syrup, and light baking spices. Finish is long with prominent dry oak, light black pepper, bitter dark chocolate, burnt vanilla, and medium ethanol. This is my first ever taste of Stagg Jr, and I'm disappointed. It's actually pretty good for the MSRP, but the scarcity and hype surrounding this and anything BT is frankly ridiculous. You can get roughly the same flavor profile minus the medicinal grape with OF 1920, ECBP, 1792 FP, and JDSSBP. I think all of those bottles are more interesting and complex, plus they are so much easier to find. This is sweet and flat, like every BT product I've tried. At this point in my bourbon journey I'm pretty confident in my assessment that anyone who thinks BT makes the best bourbon just doesn't have the palate for spice and complexity. My irritation is particularly influenced by YouTube where I ardently disagree with some popular channels (e.g., Bourbon Junkies) whom almost always rate BT products over Wild Turkey, Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, etc. Not only do those companies offer more transparency in their mash bills, age statements, barrel number, warehouse, etc., they are also priced competitively and available everywhere. The ECBP and JDSBBP I have open right now beat this handily, it's not even close. I know I'm ranting, but it's both frustrating and gratifying to finally try a highly reviewed product I've sought after for years to only discover it's just another mid-level barrel proof bourbon.

This is the best bourbon I’ve ever had. Full stop. It’s not really close. Oily mouthfeel. I love it. Rich and creamy. Sweet and caramels with hint of wood. Not cheap candy sweetness but bold rich chocolate covered cherry sweetness. Rich. Lush. Lingering with perfect balance. I know it’s high proof because my gums are tingling but in a good way. It hurts so good. Immensely drinkable for the high proof. It leaves me feeling warm inside like my mouth got a hug. This is a special treasure that I always want to drink but I don’t want drink because it’s so valuable. Really a special pour. If you can buy for under $200 do not hesitate! If you don’t have any on your shelf it’s worth paying up to $250 maybe. Wow. Tasting anything after this just feels like a cheap imitation letdown.

Nose- traditional cherry cola sweetness prevails! A bit of spicy sassiness too Palate- not complicated. It is in your face and traditional Stagg Jr. A bit rough and ready, at other times caramel, cherry, and oak. A bit of nail polish in there too. Finish- medium for its proof. A bit one note, but good to the last drop. Overall- tried this next to ECBP C919, and a 2019 SFTB Blantons. In my opinion it finished a close third. It wasnt bad, it just wasn't as complex. As a stand alone it is just a great bourbon.....not the greatest, not life changing, but what it does it does well. The balance was a bit off, and the finish fell flat vs. the other two. That said, Stagg Jr. (Now Stagg) has gotten better and better. This is a step up from previous

Gahdamn SJR can’t be beat. Honestly stop looking for big daddy Stagg and spend the $250 secondary for an SJR. Any batch is worth it tbh. Caramel. Dark cherry. Oaky AF. So good man. I can’t give you much more right now because I’m drunk but I’m not wrong and you know it. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

A lot of work to get this bottle, I am slightly disappointed in the pour. Overall I get grapes and cherries on the noise with a hint of vanilla. The palate is sweet at first then turns spicy mid way through with a slight cherry note on the back palate. The finish is medium short with a lot of burn and some mild oak. This is a mouth coating pour but overall not amazing, I would like to compare to other Stagg Jr. batches. Overall not a bad pour but defiantly a slow sipper.

Aroma - berries and dark fruits are the first things I notice. Buttered toast. Caramel.. Faint oak and vanilla. Overall really nice. Expected more burn. Taste - man for 128.7 proof this one it’s surprisingly sweet. Big candy notes, citrusy, … finishes with oak and vanilla. Even slight hint of cocoa powder on the finish. Reminds me of nestle quick. Really liking how the flavor profile changes with each sip. Viscosity is great… long finish. 4.4… I’ll bump it to 4.5