George T. Stagg Bourbon (Fall 2017)

This lived up to the hype. A nose that just goes on forever, perfectly balanced, and somehow a smooth burn at 129 proof. It should be a crime to add water to this beauty. If only it was possible to buy a bottle at retail price.

I first tried this many years ago when I first started getting into whiskey and it scored a 5. Now wind forward a few years and coming up to 500 unique drams later (not all on distiller), I've got a lot harder on scoring. Most drams have dropped a star on retaste and this is no exception. Unfortunately I drank this after Van winkle 10 and Pappy 15 so the benchmark was set high. Now it's still a very good dram. If the 10 yr was 3.5 - 3.75, the 15yr 4.25 - 4.5, this is around the 4 to 4.25 for me. As I'm drinking it I'm thinking about the 15yr and missing it already. Spice hits you first up, mint or eucalyptus, clove, oak and maple syrupor caramel...similar to the Colonel rye in a way but a bit better. It's thinner than the 15 Pappy and Weller (is it their wheat influence perhaps?). And so as yet another 5 star falls my Beasts of Bourban from Buffalo Trace tour finishes. Of the several some good a number great.

This has been on my list for a while, and frankly it hasn't been overhyped. This stuff is like custard melting on your tongue. Vanilla, roasted nuts, tobacco, and a bit of alcoholic vapor on the nose. Chocolate, cherries, marzipan, fall spices, butterscotch on the palate. Long slow finish, like a distant rumble of thunder, suprisingly nuanced for the high proof. Delicious.

Soft gentle woody, salty start, Carmel, tobacco. Burn in the finish.

This is quite possibly the best bourbon I’ve ever had. Incredible character. Super smooth for almost 140 proof. Reminds me of Pappy 15 but with more gusto !