Stagg Junior Bourbon Whiskey, 75 cl

Product Information

Deep scents of blackstrap molasses and dark honey waft out, with a distinct scent of raisin shining through. I wish that it was just a hint less hot on my tongue, but I have a feeling that a few more years takes care of that.

Stagg Bourbon Review | Whiskey Raiders 2023 BTAC: George T. Stagg Bourbon Review | Whiskey Raiders

It was bottled at 101 proof in homage to the 1975 Eagle Rare release, the year the brand was launched. Stagg bourbon, while others now think of the former Stagg Jr line, which has now been shortened to just Stagg.

However, more often than not you can seek out a special pour at a higher end whiskey bar, and with that in mind, if you can only try one pour from the Antique Collection this year, a pour of this year’s George T. In his review, West described this rye as an “amped up Kentucky-style rye” with big brown sugar, cracked pepper and of course that traditional spicy rye aroma.

George T. Stagg - Wikipedia

Stagg is released twice a year in waves that can be spread out for a few months with a release date that corresponds to a season rather than a month. As usual for the brand, there’s a good intensity of the flavors, except with this batch there are fewer of them and they’re more focused. This year's release retains its classic heaviness that Stagg known for, but this slight introduction of fruity notes throughout is extremely welcome. Uncut and unfiltered, this robust bourbon whiskey ages for nearly a decade and boasts the bold character that is reminiscent of the man himself.With a 7-year age statement and a 50% ABV, this rye was distilled from a mashbill with 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley. Not to be confused with a single barrel, each small batch is blended from Buffalo Trace‘s juice that is roughly 8 or 9 years old. This hotly anticipated release was aged for six years in Maker’s Mark’s rickhouses and then spent another five and six years in Maker’s Mark’s limestone cellar.

Stagg Jr Review | The Whiskey Shelf In Depth: Stagg Jr Review | The Whiskey Shelf

Though this rye is without a doubt a monster, there’s nothing scary about its spicy, dessert-driven profile. Stagg built the most dominant American distillery of the 19th century, during a time known as the Gilded Age of Bourbon.After it ramps up, it resides, bringing with it a good portion of the overall intensity of the finish’s flavors.

Stagg Jr. Bourbon Batch 1 - Bot.2013 : The Whisky Exchange Stagg Jr. Bourbon Batch 1 - Bot.2013 : The Whisky Exchange

While every bourbon lover will find their very own personal favorites, there are a few consensus standpoints. Those bourbon releases will happen either in the Spring or Summer, as long as in the Fall or Winter. It was aged for a minimum of five years and finished for two extra years in a barrel with heavy char. People often complain that these bottles are impossible to find at or near MSRP, and I don’t dispute this fact.Keep scrolling to see where each of this year’s BTAC expressions fall among our other favorite whiskeys of the month. There’s moderate to strong lemon, peach, and caramel, followed by deeply charred wood, cinnamon, and nuts. For Stagg Batch 18, its value takes a slight hit with this batch being more of a miss than a hit compared to recent releases. There’s a lot of caramel and vanilla, as well as moderate amounts of fuji apple sprinkled with cinnamon and allspice. It’s a nice mix of light (citrus, fruit) and dark flavors (nuts, wood, spice), and the flavors rapidly intensify as I swish it more and leave it in my mouth.