Stagg Jr Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch 16

Nose is pungent and fruity with apple, berry, raisin, date, and plum all covered with vanilla icing. Additional notes of caramel, cinnamon, and oak. Very Buffalo Trace in the sense of fruit+vanilla+oak. Ethanol is ridiculously low given the proof. Palate is a little less sweet than the nose would indicate but still offers fruit with a dark twist in the form of blackberry, fig, black cherry, concord grape, and black currant. Vanilla/caramel from the nose provides a base for the fruits to shine. Flavors are super punchy. Finish brings plenty of heat along with pomegranate, fresh oak, black pepper, cherry, cinnamon, leather, and tobacco. There’s a blackberry note from the palate which lingers all the way through the finish which I enjoyed. Mouthfeel is where this one lacks a little; medium bodied and while I wouldn’t go so far as to call it grainy it is a little on the sharp side. A superior bourbon with only minor flaws and a great example of the Buffalo Trace profile turned up to 11 which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but given the popularity of BT products seems to be favored more often than not. I managed to snag this one at straight retail of $59.99 way back in 2021, a feat that is laughable in today’s market. I feel that rating it at that price point three years later when most are paying $150+ secondary is kind of disingenuous, so I’m going to make an exception and take price totally out of the equation with my rating. 4.5 out of 5.

Nose - Sweet, deep, and rich. Vanillia, cherry. Palate - Oaky, sweet, rich dark chocolate almost?