Title:
Stagg “Batch 18”
Description:
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Release Date: Summer 2022
Proof: 131
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations, rumored to be 7-9 years old)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Molasses
MSRP: $70 (2023)
Nose:
A heavy caramel scent with a raspberry accent is forward and direct. It has a dominating presence over softer scents of orange, green apple, sharpie marker, and cinnamon oak. It coalesces into an enjoyable aroma, though it doesn’t overly impress. This is largely due to its straightforwardness. The nose reveals its proof unexpectedly and can be quite potent, and even punchy at times, reminding you this is a Stagg bourbon after all.
Palate:
A strong cinnamon front is quickly followed by an equally influential dry tannic oak note. The bourbon’s proof is instantly noted as its heat ramps up and drowns out emerging flavors of walnut, nutmeg, and dark fruit. Raspberry and orange from the nose stick around adding a flair of uniqueness to the palate. As usual for the brand, there’s a good intensity of the flavors, except with this batch there are fewer of them and they’re more focused.
Finish:
Dry tannic oak continues into the finish. It manages to not be overbearing, but will likely be divisive for many people. Rich dark fruits mixed with vanilla help provide a steady and savory base. The bourbon’s heat continues to be present with added pepper for good measure. After it ramps up, it resides, bringing with it a good portion of the overall intensity of the finish’s flavors. It ends with a lingering harsh charred oak note that is serviceable but not incredibly novel.
Uniqueness:
There are a lot of barrel proof bourbons on the market, yet few have the éclat that Stagg does. Many barrel proof bourbons share similar flavor notes of oak, vanilla, caramel, maple, molasses, and brown sugar. Some stay within these fundamental flavors and excel, while others try and offer a bit more. Both George T. Stagg and Stagg have often been rooted in the fundamentals, yet they always offer their quintessential Stagg bite. It can be hard to completely capture with words what makes Stagg, Stagg, but all it takes is one sip and you know it.
That’s why Stagg Batch 18 is such a surprise. It’s still a Stagg bourbon, but that trademark flavor and bite are slightly amended. Tasting blind, there’s a good chance you might not be able to pick it as a Stagg bourbon compared to other batches that have come before it. The bourbon features a much stronger cinnamon component this time, and the dry tannic oak can be quite assertive. It’s still as hot as ever, but that hotness doesn’t bring with it the same degree of flavor explosion of previous batches. In more than a few ways, Batch 18 harkens back to the earliest batches of the brand - for better or for worse. I noted in my Batch 17 review that it was “more of the same,” where Batch 18 stands out for being different, and because of that, it will likely be a contested release for fans of its traditional barrel proof flavor profile.
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Release Date: Summer 2022
Proof: 131
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations, rumored to be 7-9 years old)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Molasses
MSRP: $70 (2023)
Nose:
A heavy caramel scent with a raspberry accent is forward and direct. It has a dominating presence over softer scents of orange, green apple, sharpie marker, and cinnamon oak. It coalesces into an enjoyable aroma, though it doesn’t overly impress. This is largely due to its straightforwardness. The nose reveals its proof unexpectedly and can be quite potent, and even punchy at times, reminding you this is a Stagg bourbon after all.
Palate:
A strong cinnamon front is quickly followed by an equally influential dry tannic oak note. The bourbon’s proof is instantly noted as its heat ramps up and drowns out emerging flavors of walnut, nutmeg, and dark fruit. Raspberry and orange from the nose stick around adding a flair of uniqueness to the palate. As usual for the brand, there’s a good intensity of the flavors, except with this batch there are fewer of them and they’re more focused.
Finish:
Dry tannic oak continues into the finish. It manages to not be overbearing, but will likely be divisive for many people. Rich dark fruits mixed with vanilla help provide a steady and savory base. The bourbon’s heat continues to be present with added pepper for good measure. After it ramps up, it resides, bringing with it a good portion of the overall intensity of the finish’s flavors. It ends with a lingering harsh charred oak note that is serviceable but not incredibly novel.
Uniqueness:
There are a lot of barrel proof bourbons on the market, yet few have the éclat that Stagg does. Many barrel proof bourbons share similar flavor notes of oak, vanilla, caramel, maple, molasses, and brown sugar. Some stay within these fundamental flavors and excel, while others try and offer a bit more. Both George T. Stagg and Stagg have often been rooted in the fundamentals, yet they always offer their quintessential Stagg bite. It can be hard to completely capture with words what makes Stagg, Stagg, but all it takes is one sip and you know it.
That’s why Stagg Batch 18 is such a surprise. It’s still a Stagg bourbon, but that trademark flavor and bite are slightly amended. Tasting blind, there’s a good chance you might not be able to pick it as a Stagg bourbon compared to other batches that have come before it. The bourbon features a much stronger cinnamon component this time, and the dry tannic oak can be quite assertive. It’s still as hot as ever, but that hotness doesn’t bring with it the same degree of flavor explosion of previous batches. In more than a few ways, Batch 18 harkens back to the earliest batches of the brand - for better or for worse. I noted in my Batch 17 review that it was “more of the same,” where Batch 18 stands out for being different, and because of that, it will likely be a contested release for fans of its traditional barrel proof flavor profile.
Brewery or Distillery:
Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY
Size:
750 mL
Alcohol Percent:
65.5
Type of Alcohol:
Bourbon
Year:
2022
Date Added:
2023-11-15 11:38:36
Series:
Batch
Series Order:
18
Date Added:
2023-11-15 11:38:36
