Stagg Jr Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch 1

It was 7-8 years ago that I first experienced Stagg Jr.  Cost me $90 for the bottle and I just could not believe how rich it was.  Vanilla-cherry pie and cotton candy that you could smell across the room.  Won't ever forget that. A year later I happened into a liquor store in Florida that had recently changed hands.  The new owner found two cases of Stagg Jr. amongst the acquired inventory. Didn't know what he had and put it on the shelf.  1st release 134.4 proof.  I got six bottles at $45 each.  This is the last one.  I learned early on that the last half of the bottle is way better than the first, so I saved an empty to pour it up into two half bottles and let it sit, two or three months.  This one got poured up in December 2021. Still get that vanilla cherry pie across the room when I pour a dram.  Mostly I enjoy it neat after dinner.  Took a half bottle to Florida last month and a friend told me that an unopened bottle of the first release was currently going for a grand.  I love it but really?  Maybe that made it taste better, maybe not. I love to nose my bourbon and this has my absolute favorite nose.  There's creme brulee, cherry pie and cotton candy.  Maybe it's cherries jubilee and hot buttered popcorn?  Naw it's vanilla custard, fresh bing cherries on buttered Belgian waffles with caramel. It's a bit hot but not like you would expect from 134.4 proof.  1/2 oz goes a long way. Oh the texture in the mouth, it's thick and chewy, really coats the mouth and tongue.  It's a bit hotter on the tongue than anticipated by the nose.  The flavors are intense.  Kinda cherry, apple bread pudding with a caramel bourbon sauce.  The caramel holds on and goes woody on the finish.  A touch of pecan in there too. This is my favorite bourbon, I absolutely love it.  Still have a stash of later releases and I am always on the lookout.  But I haven't seen any for less than $200 in the last couple years so maybe the bottles I have will be all I get.  Can you spell r-a-t-i-o-n?

This is extremely difficult to obtain here and it took 3 years of trying to obtain my only bottle to date. It was a bottle that I truly hoped the hype would not disappoint. Thank goodness it did not, and I can only say that it even exceeded my expectations. The proof on this offering is a whopping 137.0 so you would immediately think it would blow your sinuses apart. The nose is sweet and rich, full of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, grape, cherry, and some spicey oak and pepper. The flavor is intense and loaded in sugars. There is of course a good amount of heat as it is a very high proof but it does not drink as hot as it is and goes down fairly easy. The finish is very long lasting and delivers an intense amount of flavor to the end. Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, strawberry, and black cherry are all present. A note of chocolate covered raisins also is present. As a bottle that appears once every 3 or so years here, it is worth the chase to obtain and worth the money. In my collection of whiskeys, this one sits at the very top and very nearly scores a perfect score. Nose: 4.75/5 Taste: 4.75/5 Overall: 4.75/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Special Occasion

Managed to get a bottle of Weller 12 in an allocated whiskey sale for 50$, which I then traded for the Stagg Jr., batch 15. I probably could’ve gotten a little more in a trade, based on secondary values, but I wasn’t trying to be greedy and was thrilled to get a bottle of Stagg for 50$. First time to try Stagg of any batch. Wish I didn’t like this as much as I do. Wish I could say I prefer JDSBBP or OF1920 since I can find them easily. ECBP is at least a worthy competitor, and I would rate RR13 a hair higher than this, but this is really good. It’s got all the good stuff of caramel/brown sugar, vanilla, oak, and finishes with stewed cherries. There’s a little heat, but very restrained for 65%+ ABV. Sometimes I’m afraid a Buffalo Trace product lives up to the hype.

Nose: Vanilla, brown sugar, cherry syrup, nice light wheat, roasted cacao nibs & molasses Nose After Swirl: Lighter, almost floral notes. Palate: Very thick moughteel; oily. Very soft mouthfeel for the 131 proof. Orange, vanilla, brown sugar, DARK chocolate, and a slight barrel oak & dryness. Palate with water drop: Oh my. The HEAT. The SPICE. This pour really opens up after a bit of water. Finish: THERE'S the heat! Beautifully long finish with a sweet heat that lingers.

Very hot as you'd expect at 131.1 proof, but not harsh. Tons of smoke and cherry to the flavor. I tiny bit of ice or water puts the fire out, but doesn't nessissary open up more flavor. It's a good bourbon, but reminds me of an overly strong version of Russell's Reserve Single Barrel at 110 proof, which is both less expensive and easier to find. So while I enjoyed it very much, I probably wouldn't get it again, especially not at the aftermarket prices.

Intense nose of molasses and spicey fruit flavored cola on the nose. Front of the palate is a pissed off sweet grape that quickly turns to a raisin like sweetness, as I go back to the nose for a second sip a strong cinnamon and sweet tobacco note appears. Long finish of drying fruit, tobacco and clove spice. Overall an easy bourbon to enjoy - the sweetness, spice and proof make for a well balanced whiskey with a few layers. Batch 13 - 128.4 proof