Whisky Connosr
Menu
Buy Whisky Online

Stagg Jr. Bourbon

Sensory overload - in a good way!

4 1188

@NozinanReview by @Nozinan

10th Dec 2016

0

Stagg Jr. Bourbon
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    88

Show rating data charts

Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I recently saw this available at the LCBO, then it wasn't again. Looking to see if I had missed the BTAC lottery I typed in STAGG and this came up. In one store in Toronto. I was not far from them yesterday so I called and of the 26 listed (in the 30s the day before) there were 22 left. I picked up 2 for me and one for a friend. This morning the store had only 11 listed, and 2 other stores had a handful.

I was not in the mood to drink yesterday (work-related stress), but today I felt a bit better and I decided to try something new in the way of reviews. I will review this first pour, and revisit the smell and taste as the bottle evolves, reporting back. I've revisited reviews before, but never from the first opening.

Unlike most bourbon reviews, I did add water, and will comment after my review of the neat product.


I have to make note of this beautiful dark amber colour. I know that colour has no bearing on taste directly, but given that bourbon cannot be coloured if bottled in the US, this natural colour invites me, and suggests, correctly or not, that there is a lot of wood influence to come

Nose

Immediately on pouring I get brown sugar and vanilla. Alcohol. Aromatic wood (like a cedar plank on the BBQ or maybe pine resin), warm apple sauce with a little cinnamon, maybe grilled corn,. With time, I get increased fruitiness and can identify pear and maybe pineapple or banana. A little perfume (not in a bad way). 23/25

Taste

HOT! - powerful blast of vanilla and brown sugar. Lots of tannins. Not an expert on what you call this but is it OAK? Cinnamon toast (with butter)? Not a wide range of flavours, but big, bold, and powerful. Especially after 1/2 hour or so, I like it! 22/25

Finish

Medium short, astringent, sour near the end. I got a hint of butter, not really rancid, but as though it was melted then congealed and was left out in the kitchen for 2 days. 21/25

Balance

Not sure what to say. The nose is very nice and the palate is power on steroids. Not prednisone steroids, Dexamethasone. 22/25

Total Score: 88/100

Adjusted Score based on Enjoyment: Too Soon To Tell


After adding a half capful of water to a 20 cc pour, the alcohol recedes in the nose and on the palate, and it's a little less hot. Another half capful lowers the flames a bit more. Still nippy, and still full of flavour, but a little easier to drink. I'm stopping at 2 capfuls.

It will be interesting to see how this develops. I'm also hoping to share it with some Connosrs next week and see both what they think of it and how the taste changes when I drink it with good company.

Related George T Stagg reviews

11 comments

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

2 Days after I bought this the LCBO shows 3 bottles left in Toronto (and all of Ontario).

7 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

I'm not super fond of Bourbon but I would like to try these BTAC offerings.

7 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Alexsweden, N.B. that Stagg Jr. is an intermediately-aged product, and not part of the BTAC. Stagg Jr. is very high flavour and high ABV, but you would never mistake it for George T. Stagg.

7 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

I see. I'm not in tune with the Bourbon world obviously

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@MaltActivist
MaltActivist commented

Managed to snag a couple of bottles and opened my first one just a couple of days ago. While the Senior it is not the Stagg Jr is a fantastic bourbon with enormous value (I got it for around US$55 if I remember correctly). Solid whisky. Maybe a touch heavy on the oak but I'm not complaining.

7 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

So 10 months in there is less than 100 mL left in the mini bottle I decanted this into. Where did the rest go?

It still has the same power as before, and certainly gets tamer and easier to taste with a little water. Tasting it in the Bourbon Glass this time.

It's no Stagg, but it's darn good.

7 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan It is strange how good whisky has a tendancy to evaporate. It seems that every time we go for a good one, there is always less in the bottle than what we remind. Is there a law for evaporation call the law of goodness saying that better is the whisky faster is the evaporation? There should be.

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Robert99 Well, I keep track of the fill levels and this one is legit. I think it figured in a couple of tasting sessions so that takes its toll.

I can't believe I only bought 4 (2 for me) when I had the chance...

7 years ago 0

@Nelom
Nelom commented

I can't believe I only bought 4 (2 for me) when I had the chance...

@Nozinan What was that you were saying about running out...? relaxed

7 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Nelom well, "in dem gait es" Which is Yiddish for that's the issue.

I struggle with this all the time.

7 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

clearly the struggle continues given my recent purchase of this year's batch. I can't wait (but I will) to try them H2H because I tasted the 2017 release yesterday (albeit in a bourbon glass, not a Glencairn) and I wonder if it's even better than last year's.

6 years ago 0