George T. Stagg Bourbon (Fall 2017)

Can a bourbon nose be described as gorgeous?! Sweet maple syrup, sour ale, and a new baseball mitt. Not too much alcohol sting. Palate is rich, it starts off with a sharp fruity sting, then cascades with waves of smoky goodness. Cinnamon, char, brown sugar, saltes caramel, apple cider, nutmeg, smoked meat. Great hug, this isn't as hot as I expected, but it's definitely warm going down. Dark chocolate lingers. This doesn't feel thin, but it's thinner than I expected, for some reason. Small quibble. This is really good. I've read some reviews that say this was a down year for Stagg; I wouldn't know, but if this is down, then the other years must be crazy good. 5/17/18