George T. Stagg Bourbon 2002
George T. Stagg Bourbon 2002: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace High-Rye Mashbill (#1)
Proof: 137.6 (68.8% ABV)
Age: 15 Years
Location: Kentucky
George T. Stagg Bourbon 2002 Price: $49 (MSRP)
George T. Stagg Bourbon 2002 Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Damn…dark cherrywood verging on mahogany. Medium stable rims with no legs.
Nose: Beautiful - if this is where they said George T. Stagg was going to start, good job Buffalo Trace. Dark, stewed cherries, umami sweetness on the knife’s edge, barrel char, high proof in control, brown sugar caramelizing on top of a creme brûlée.
Palate: Hot brown sugar, tons of clove and oak, but not woody at all. Raw cacao, dried cherries flambeed with bourbon. Mouthfeel is creamy, heavy, hot, oily, just f***ing beautiful, covering the whole palate in chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar from the corners of my mouth to the top.
Finish: Medium length, just keeps coming. Complex, rich, fruity, bourbon-y.
Overall: What every bourbon should aspire to be. F***. THIS. THING. SLAPS. Heat is powerful, but balanced - hell, everything is balanced. Not a hair out of place between nose, palate, mouthfeel, and finish. For me, a truly perfect bourbon that is my new 10 out of 10.
Final Rating: 10.0
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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