I'm always rather weary of Stagg. Albeit not the most popular opinion, I've now tasted 2 different batches ( 18 and 22b ) and found them both to be a bit too hot to really be amongst the best. By chance I was offered a bottle of 23b for the incredibly modest price of $99 and I was all too happy to pick this up. Maybe third time's a charm? Although the nose does smell a bit hot, much like 22b; this particular batch doesn't smell nearly as hot as 127.8 proof would suggest. Vanilla and toffee are gentle and sweet at first but end up pushing towards bittersweet chocolate toward mid nose. A little kick of rye spice and some tannic oak turn that nose quite dry. The taste explodes with baking spices and tongue tingle. The proof is noticeable in burn only but there isn't a sinus clearing ethanol hit. Right about mid taste some of that dark chocolate mixes in with the baking spices and actually, is quite appropriate as a holiday dram. There's a bit of rye bread quality about this mid taste, an interesting touch to the background of spiciness. The finish is decidedly dry and spicy. That baking spice bomb from the taste never really fades away but on the finish, some tannic oak joins the party. The finish is actually quite long and oily. Some may like this long and drying type of finish but I'm not a huge fan ( what can I say, I have a sweet tooth when it comes to bourbon ). This doesn't feel quite as potent as the last Stagg I tried, 22b. And by the proof, it isn't far off ( 130 vs 127.8 ) but I think its how that proof is delivered. This feels a bit more polished than 22b but I'd still really love to try a Stagg that is less spice and more sweet.