Stagg Jr. Batch 15 Bourbon

ReviewsAmerican WhiskeyBourbonStagg Jr.Buffalo Trace

Sep 30

Written By David Levine

Stagg Jr. Batch 15 Bourbon: Specs

Classification: Bourbon

Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Mashbill: Buffalo Trace High-Rye Mashbill (#1)

Proof: 131.1 (65.55% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Kentucky

Stagg Jr. Batch 15 Bourbon Price: $65

Official Website

Stagg Jr. Batch 15 Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Caramel sauce. Medium unstable rims bleed medium legs.

Nose: Oddly herbal - strong rye influence. There’s some proof heat, but it’s not overbearing. Tropical fruits emerge. Bourbon profile starts to open after a few sniffs, with oak, leather, and burnt marshmallows. Super dark fruits keep building with air, adding complexity and borderline-umami sweetness.

Palate: Hot, but this is clearly a fruitier Stagg Jr. Tart orchard fruits and great dark chocolate notes. Tones of bakery spice, with the heat sticking around but only to lift the flavors further. Chocolate keeps getting darker. Mouthfeel is light-to-medium, tongue-tingling, and a bit astringent in a pleasant way with clove-forward spice.

Finish: Long, slightly bitter with all that chocolate. Lingers in the corners of my mouth.

Overall: I think I need more time with this. There’s tons of chocolate - typical Stagg - but it’s very, very dark. This would be a great not-so-sweet dessert whiskey, with enough backbone to stand up to overly sweet finishings. The finish itself is luscious and dark, just needs a bigger mouthfeel on the palate to take it to the next level.

Final Rating: 7.4

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)