2016 George T. Stagg Bourbon Review
This extremely hearty whiskey ages in new charred oak barrels for no less than 15 years. Straight out of the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, the taste is powerful, flavorful and intense.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Buffalo Trace Distillery
- MASH BILL: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1
- AGE: 15 Years, 4 Months at bottling
- YEAR: 2016
- PROOF: 144.1 (72.05% ABV)
- MSRP: $90.00
LEE'S NOTES
NOSE: Wood | Cherries | Vanilla
TASTE: Cherries | Vanilla | Oak
FINISH: This is one hot bourbon. The hottest I have ever tasted. The burn starts as soon as it hits the tongue. Warms the mouth and chest. The first couple sips, I thought I was not going to like this but as time went on I really begin to enjoy the taste and the warm feeling. I added a few drops of water but didn’t think it did much. It did allow a little more vanilla to come out. I tried this again, neat, in a rocks glass after it had been open about a week. The second time around the vanilla on the palate was more prevalent.
SHARE WITH: I would share this with experienced bourbon drinkers and whiskey aficionados, especially those who like barrel proof bourbons. A new bourbon drinker might find this a little overwhelming. But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?
WORTH THE PRICE: The MSRP is $79.99. If you find it for that buy it. That, however is a tall order. You can find it online for $500 and up. There aren’t many bourbons I would pay that much money for including this one.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: If you can find a bottle at retail it is well worth it. The secondary market varies considerably as does a pour in a bar. It is up to you on how much you want to spend. Worth a taste if you can afford it.
OVERALL: I am a big fan of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. I think the William Larue Weller is the best but this was a very enjoyable sipper. I was lucky to get a bottle of this. You can read that story here. One note: I like a number of bourbons with an ice ball. With some it enhances the taste. So I tried a little of this with an ice ball. Don’t do this. It kills the taste.
BRAND NOTES
This extremely hearty whiskey ages in new charred oak barrels for no less than 15 years. Straight out of the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, the taste is powerful, flavorful and intense. Open it up with a few drops of water, sit back and ponder the wonders of the universe.
TASTING NOTES: Lush toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat and molasses. Underlying notes of dates, tobacco, dark berries, spearmint and a hint of coffee round out the palate.
To read the George T Stagg release letter click here:
