Tastes

Bar pour ($20) Nose: Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, candied red apples. Palate: Thick and rich. Dark brown sugar, sweet cherry pie filling, vanilla and lightly smoked oak. Finish: Surprisingly mellow for the proof. Soft blend if dark chocolate, maple syrup and oak. Very similar to Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you want to experience something similar, but the Stagg is absolutely a level or two better.

Poured neat. Very fall-like on the nose. Pine sap, ginger, smokey oak and toasted peanuts. A little bitey on the front of the tongue bet mellows out as you sip. Sweet and spicy like a candied jalapeno with a hearty punch of smoke to tie it all together. There's a faint bit of apple cider tucked under the more prominent flavors. Standard Tennessee whiskey finish of charcoal and leather as expected. Overall a very reasonable sipper but I can also see it as a great candidate for a whiskey-based BBQ sauce the next time I fire up my smoker. Very enjoyable bottle for the price point.

Poured neat. Nose reminds me of the fruit cocktail cups we used to get in school with some minty ethanol notes - like Vick's vapor rub. Flavor is a pleasant mix of sweet and spice. I get notes of black liquorice and dehydrated banana plus mint, cinnamon, and cracked pepper. Finish is moderate with notes of leather, oak and general baking spices.

Poured neat. Nose is dense with notes of honey ham, mesquite wood, vanilla cream and honey. Oily palate, carries over many of the sweet and woody flavors. Along with that come notes of red fruit, baking spices and black tea. Drinks a little hotter than the 110.3 proof listed on the label, but contributes well to the dense flavors of this whiskey.

Poured neat. On the nose I get notes of buttered sweet corn, vanilla, damp wood and a slight cherry cola twang. Palate is fairly oily with similar sweet notes carrying over from the nose. Honey, roasted peanuts, black pepper and cheap tobacco. Slightly metallic on that tail end. I cracked this bottle on a cold night by a campfire and sipped it from a stainless steel cup, essentially chilling the whiskey without ice. I actually preferred it "chiller" more than I did at room temp, so give that a try if you're feeling adventurous. No frills, but a very enjoyable pour for the price point.

Poured neat. Nose: Youthful with hints of dark chocolate, corn dust, and burnt sugar. Palate: Candy corn, mild oak and a slightly sweetened herbal tea. Light and watery, not spikey or offensive. Quick finish with a lingering tobacco flavor. Probably not going to win any blinds, but a decent pour for tailgating, mixing cocktails or socially sipping.

Poured neat. Incredibly viscous nose consisting of cinnamon butter and strangely (yet pleasantly) a lightly peppered steak. Light floral, honey and vanilla notes fill in the spaces between. Peach candy sweetness hits the tongue first, followed by white pepper, a floral tea, and just a touch of black liquorice. The charcoal-grilled meat savoriness carries into the mid palette as well. A little strange, but oddly enjoyable too. Finish is moderate and slightly drying with a light toasted/smokey oak flavor. This was my first venture into Chattanooga's juice and safe to say I'm very excited to keep exploring their lineup!

Poured neat. Nose is very sweet, made up of Lucky Charms, honey, and dehydrated banana. Palate begins sweet and finishes with a polite amount of spice. It starts with strawberry jam covered toast, transitions to oak, white pepper and vanilla in the middle then finishes with a light tobacco. Its slightly more thin than I would hope, but still coats the mouth well. This was an anniversary gift from my wife, and I'd say she made a great pick!

Poured neat. Nose: Caramel latte and damp wood. Hint of cherry cough drop. Palate: Youthful, not much complexity. Black pepper, tobacco, and a green tea finish. Not my favorite, but not bad either.

Poured neat Nose: Cinnamon coated peaches, mint tea, sweet dusty oak. Palate: Dense, like Texas Roadhouse cinnamon butter, Juicy Fruit gum, and vanilla oak. Finish: Sweet tobacco. Very enjoyable pour!