George T. Stagg Bourbon (Fall 2016)

The aroma begins with a strong wave of heat, accompanied by dry oak and cherry syrup. It soon softens to reveal vanilla, brown sugar, leather, and smoke. There's also a hint of brine, promising a notable experience. The taste is very hot and extremely dry, flooding the mouth with intense rye spice, oak, baking spices, and a touch of astringent cherry syrup. Smoother flavors of vanilla, cream, and brown sugar are present but don't sufficiently temper the heat. This isn't necessarily a negative, as the bourbon is known for its high proof, which it handles admirably. The finish is prolonged, dry, and spicy, with lingering heat as subtle notes of oak and cherry gradually disappear.

It's incredibly hot. The alcohol scent is overwhelming at first, but if you let it breathe, there's cherry pie with oak notes. The palate is hot but bursting with flavor. A huge hit of oak with burnt sugar and caramel. It coats your mouth and doesn't let up. Cinnamon, pepper, and oak dominate the finish, but it lingers for a long time, bringing back some sweetness at the end. This is a powerful bourbon at a very high proof. The only improvement would have been a slightly lower proof. This is my third experience with this bourbon, and they've all been fantastic. Cheers!

Received a sample from an acquaintance at a recent birthday gathering. I truly savored this. As someone who appreciates Stagg Jr. neat, this was naturally delightful to me and one of the more captivating bourbons I've had the pleasure of tasting. Oak, dry red fruit, spices (distinct from the alcohol), cherry, and more oak. I regrettably didn't add water to observe the flavor profile mellowing, as I was quite satisfied with its full intensity. I would gladly purchase it if I happened to discover one hidden away in a store. 4.25/5

You really need to let this breathe! Even after significant aeration, it still requires effort to discern flavors beneath a strong medicinal alcohol aroma. It has mint oil, delicate toffee, cocoa powder, and browned butter. The taste is predominantly hot and minty. The finish is very dry due to substantial wood tannin. Adding water softens and extends the wood notes. Despite the tannin and alcohol, the texture is fairly succulent. Overall, the alcohol's grip is too strong on this whiskey and shows no sign of loosening.

A delayed tasting. Served neat in a Glencairn glass. The color is a dark chocolate brown. It has a medium to heavy body with very slow-forming legs. The nose is dominated by chocolate-covered cherries with a creamy frosted flake undertone. Vanilla and noticeable ethanol are present, but it doesn't burn excessively. On the palate, cherry syrup and milk chocolate are again dominant, along with chili pepper. There's a bitter orange rind note. Sweet corn and vanilla are also present. The high proof tingles the entire mouth, but it enhances the chili pepper in a complementary way. It delivers an incredible burst of flavor that is a pleasure to savor.

Nose: Cherry, caramel, and sweet oak. Compared to the Stagg Jr. Batch 9 I just sampled, this has a less sugary aroma and more oak. Perhaps a hint of red fruit maraschino cherry. Body: Full and another impressive performer. Palate: Sweet oak, caramel dipped in cherry glaze and then coated in vanilla. Incredible. Finish: Long, with a smoky sweetness. Note: Another ounce from a friend. Whoa. As full-bodied as the Stagg Jr. Batch 9 I just tried, but with greater depth of flavor, more refinement, and more interesting. Absolutely fantastic.