Stagg Jr. Batch 16 Bourbon
Picture courtesy of my friend, Arthur, who provided me a sample.
Stagg Jr. Batch 16 Bourbon: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace High-Rye Mashbill (#1)
Proof: 130.9 (65.45% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Kentucky
Stagg Jr. Batch 16 Bourbon Price: $65
Stagg Jr. Batch 16 Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Brand new copper. Very thin rims and beady droplet legs.
Nose: Toasted cherry and almond. A bit of proof heat, though nothing too hot. Crispy cornbread edges in a skillet. Mexican vanilla extract.
Palate: Oak - sweeter than other Stagg Jrs. for sure. The proof and peppery heat build in a flash from the tip of my tongue to my esophagus. Tobacco leaves and leather, dried cherries…honestly, this tastes older than other batches, too. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, astringent, coating and syrupy on the chew, coalescing under the tongue.
Finish: Tip-of-the-tongue heat keeps going, with bitter dark chocolate-covered dried cherries popping all over. The flashing heat fades, but a light burn lingers for awhile.
Overall: This definitely tastes older, no question. There’s more oak, leather, and astringency, with a much more mature cherry than in other batches. Still quite good, but I’m curious whether I’m right about the change…
Final Rating: 7.1
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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