Stagg Jr. - Batch 22A Review
Stagg Jr. Bourbon, introduced in 2013, is a tribute to George T. Stagg, a prominent figure in American whiskey history. George T. Stagg was born in 1831 and became a successful whiskey merchant after the Civil War. In 1878, he acquired the O.F.C. (Old Fire Copper) Distillery from Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., marking his transition from selling to producing whiskey[1].
Under Stagg's leadership, the distillery thrived and innovated, including the installation of the first air-conditioned warehouse for whiskey aging in 1886. The distillery, later renamed Buffalo Trace, continues to honor its roots through the Stagg Jr. Bourbon[1].
Stagg Jr. is released twice yearly in limited batches, using Buffalo Trace's Mashbill #1, which is also used for other renowned bourbons like Eagle Rare and E.H. Taylor Jr.[2]. The bourbon is aged for approximately 7-9 years and bottled at barrel proof, resulting in a powerful and intense flavor profile[2].
The Stagg Jr. 22A batch, released in early Spring 2023, is particularly noteworthy. Bottled at an impressive 132.2 proof, it offers a complex flavor profile. Stagg Jr. has gained significant popularity due to its association with Buffalo Trace Distillery, its barrel-proof nature, and its limited availability. These factors, combined with its robust flavor profile, have made it highly sought after by bourbon enthusiasts[3]. One cool thing about this bottle is that it is the only bottle that came after the “B” version of the semi-annual releases. This was due to a label printing error at Buffalo Trace and they were forced to hold onto the barrels until the label dilemma got fixed. Selfishly, I’m glad they held onto them so timing could work out with me grabbing one (my first of the series).
Review:
Nose: Oh wow. There are layers to this nose and it comes across very soft on the nose for the blistering 132.2 proof that it packs under the hood. Melted butter with brown sugar on cornbread is the first grouping I get pretty strongly on the nose. It then opens up to being a bit more floral with citrusy notes, almost like an essence of a lemon peel in there. There is a little bit of barrel spice in there and the youthful alcohol notes do come in when you smell for a little while. Finally, on the back end, I got some dusty corn and bready yeast notes. ~Color me impressed~
Palate: This one slapped me around a little bit. This is incredibly oily and the heat rolled in like a bullet train. It was sweet initially sweet and then introduced some savory notes like salted almonds. It has every note that you would want a bourbon to have and it cranks it to about an 8.5/10. Brown Sugar, Maple Oak, Cloves, Vanilla, Creamed Corn, and, just for kicks and gigs, some white pepper too. The only thing holding this one back is it’s proof paired with age. 7-9 years is a great age for a bourbon but at this proof, youthful notes will last through 12, 13, hell, even 14 years. There was some Ethanol I got after a Kentucky chew that took a few points from the palate.
Finish: The finish was long, warm and pretty inviting. It evolved from the notes on the palate to a white peppery spiced finish with some floral attributes like a bouquet of carnations and freshly cut grass. I also got some raspberry jam notes on the finish too about 30 sconds after my sip. I' still feel the warmth and notes from the sip over a minute afterwards.
Overall: 93. This is and has been a favorite of mine for a while. This was one of the first allocated bottles I was fortunate enough to trade for. I traded a Weller 12 for this in the fall of 2023 (and I can comfortably say I came out on top). The wonderfully complex nature of the notes from the nose to the finish is incredible. I know this is a bit more of a divisive bottle from a ratings standpoint but this just hammered home so many things I like about bourbon and did them very well. Now, if this was aged to the extent of its big brother, George T. Stagg (15-17 years), I’d think about selling a non-vital organ just to get a few bottles of it to hold onto for the next few years. Kidding, kidding, but for real.
Value: 80/100 (+2) At retail of $59.99, this is a buy every day of the week and twice on Sundays. At secondary retail value of $240, it is a bit of a tougher sell but I would buy one more at that price. No more than that, however.
Availability: Limited. These are nearly impossible to find in the wild on the shelf. You’ll have to get lucky with the shipment coming in that day or having a really good friend behind the counter of your favorite store. The newer batches after this are releasing in larger numbers and I am happy to say the secondary price for them is coming down. Everyone clap with me.
Citations:
[1] https://www.wilhelm-eder.com/aktuelles/stagg-junior-bourbon-barrels/
[2] https://bourbon-whiskey-and-rye.com/stagg-22a-review/
[3] https://www.gearpatrol.com/food/drinks/a37068574/stagg-jr-bourbon/
