Evilbiochemist
George T. Stagg Bourbon (Fall 2018)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
July 16, 2019 (edited September 8, 2020)
When I'm bored with bills, TV, red tape, and work- I go to distiller.com in search of little shreds of excitement, excitement to find information that might send me on a journey find something unique, something secret, something that gets me excited again, perhaps like when I was younger. I'd imagine many of you are in the same boat - after finding family, success, education and organization in you life - what's next? I think the "what's next?" premise is the conduit that binds us together here. Whiskey tickles parts of our brain that were once easily excitable, but are now more numb, predictable, it jump starts the parts of the senses that often say "been there done that".
George T. Stagg whiskey is a wonderful example of something special, perhaps secret to most, made with care, uniqueness, and of top notch quality. And it's made with magic of sorts: somehow only flavored with yeast, clear distillate, and old wood.. now; If you're a whiskey connoisseur - its easy to split hairs over allocation, age statement, ownership, politics, secondary market, and the obvious notion of "why the hell can't I get that bottle too??" - however (quiet voice), step way way way back from your whiskey biases and daily life tools for a moment, go to a quiet place, no screens , no screaming kids, no boss, off line - and take a nosing / neat sip of George T. Stagg- just as it is... Fantastic from start to finish- its just fantastic. ..Hot? yes - hot enough to make the demons think your mouth is a gateway back to hell -and its good. Complex? Yes; insanely,.. dozens of scents and flavors all packed into one- but it's not like jamming 5 different flavors of slushie into one cup - no no, all the flavors are decipherable and mature; this is pure adulting at its finest! ..- I'm just happy that this stuff exists. Cheers!
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This is still my all time favorite bourbon. The price is plain tragic.
GTS does take you to a place, not so much an ethereal plane as a deep cavern if the earth - hot, unforgiving, elemental and yet quiet. It’s a good place to meet or to go and remember.
I've only had the 2017 to date, but I expect the 18 to live up to the rep. One local store has it priced at 700USD.
Definitely the GOAT bourbon.
@Evilbiochemist - sounds more like adultery than adulting. :)
@PBMichiganWolverine - try and do tell
@PBMichiganWolverine wow. save the 14 and crack the 16 if you can find it!
@dubz480 oh crap...I just checked. I might have two of these—2014 and 2016. Time to crack it open!! If I can find it...
@dubz480 i think that’s what I’ll do—see if I can find a pour.
@PBMichiganWolverine of the affordable substitutes that you have a chance of finding the best bet is a good ECBP batch. The A119 is outstanding. Good Stagg Jr batch, though they do run hot or a good Booker's batch (Kentucky Chew would be the last one). However, none of these are in the ball park of GTS unfortunately. That's one I would strongly recommend stumping up the $20-$30 for the pour! Cheers!
@dubz480 out of the affordable substitutes ( $100 or less), what would you rate as close as possible to this?
GTS is the GOAT Bourbon. Year doesn't matter!