Stagg Jr - Batch 7 Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

 

There are a handful of seasonal barrel proof whiskey releases I look forward to. They have, for the most part, been kind to me and as such, I'm willing to shell out my hard-earned money to acquire them. One such label is Stagg, Jr. Twice a year, Buffalo Trace sends out another batch to be tracked down. On the plus side, Stagg, Jr. isn't as difficult as some others to find.

Batch 7 was released in 2016 at 130° and its MSRP is $49.99. You'll likely find it closer to $54.99. Stagg, Jr. is created from a small batch of Bourbons using Buffalo Trace's #1 mash. Each barrel in the batch ranges from eight to nine years but carries no age statement.

My past experience with Stagg, Jr. gives an appearance of deep, dark amber on the glass. This may be the lightest amber of any batch I've had. Swirling it around produced a very thin rim with fat, wavy legs.

At chin level, an aroma of thick caramel is up front. Lifting it to my lips, brings honey, cinnamon, and tropical fruit. Hovering the glass under my nostrils changes it to apple. Inhaling through my mouth brings heavy vanilla and maple.

The mouthfeel is thin but coating. Something common with Stagg, Jr.'s later releases is a limited burn on the mouth, and Batch 7 doesn't stray from that commonality.

Vanilla is way up on the palate. Behind that is maple syrup. Underneath that is flavors of cinnamon spice and apricot. Honestly, it is crazy the way the palate is hit, from one flavor to the next.

Something you expect from Stagg, Jr., is some woodiness. It doesn't show up on the nose, the palate, or the finish... until later. Oak hides under the maple and apricot. The hard and soft palates tingle from the proof.

I drank this neat, just as I do with every whiskey. However, adding two drops of water turned this into a maple bomb on the nose. It thickened the mouthfeel significantly. Clove was added on the palate, yet the finish remained unchanged.

Bottle, Bar or Bust: Batch 7 doesn't compare to my favorite Batch 9. I need to say this isn't unpleasant, but I don't know that I would chase it down. As such I'm rating it as a Bar.

Cheers!