George T. Stagg (2013) - Review
Age: 15 years, 11 months
Barrel type: Standard bourbon (charred fresh oak)
Region: Kentucky
ABV: 64.1%
Price: $80 (MSRP), $500+ (secondary)
Additional details: non-chill filtered, no color added
The white whale of the bourbon world beckons. For some -- to be fair, for most, Pappy Van Winkle is the most coveted bourbon around. But for those of us who prefer rye-recipe bourbons to wheated bourbons, there can only be one king: George T. Stagg. Stagg is part of Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection, an annual limited release that comes out in the fall and immediately sells out everywhere it lands. Most liquor stores and bars don't get any, and the ones who get it often hold lotteries to determine who has the privilege of buying it.
This is a rare treat for me, and my wife and I had only an ounce of it to share between us. Thankfully, that was more than enough to savor and enough to do the 100th review on this blog!
One fact that matters to bourbon nerds -- Stagg is made from Buffalo Trace's #1 mashbill, which consists of a majority of corn and less than 10% rye, with the exact proportions unknown (secret recipe and all that). Depending on which source one reads, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof consists of a mashbill of either 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley or 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% barley. Either way, the implication should be that Stagg, like most Buffalo Trace products, favors sweeter rather than spicier flavors.
Appearance: In the glass, George T. Stagg is a rich, dark chestnut brown, so pure you can practically dry it out and reconstitute the barrel. The color is almost imperceptibly darker than Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, itself a gorgeous bourbon. The high alcohol content makes this bourbon cling stubbornly to the sides of the glass after a swirl, and it only drops a few reluctant legs, producing an effect reminiscent of a windowpane after a summer thunderstorm.
Nose: One thing I enjoy about Buffalo Trace is that their distillate tends to produce unusual fruit flavors. Stagg, although much older than the distillery's more commonly found bourbons, is no different. The standout notes are pineapple, tropical fruit, and raisins, but they meet their match in antique oak, caramel, wood shavings, and tobacco. We sat around just taking in the scent of this bourbon for a while before having a drink -- it really is that good. It's hard to describe, and just identifying flavors doesn't convey it, but Stagg's scents are deeper and richer than other bourbons.
Palate: The intensity of the alcohol produces a minty or spicy tingle at the beginning, although I believe that's the proof rather than the rye. The age immediately reveals itself in wood tannins that coat the mouth -- even moreso on subsequent sips. Again, the only comparable feeling is drinking Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, but even ECBP doesn't have the same sensation of a film over my teeth. I'm not 100% in love with it, but it's unique. The midpalate is impossibly rich and sweet, richer than any other bourbon I've tried, and overflows with salted caramel, oak, brown sugar, corn, and cinnamon. Like the nose, it's hard to convey how intense the flavors are.
Finish: Stagg leaves behind a big bomb of ripe banana, spice, caramel corn, mint, apple, and a final lingering note of cedar. It's a little shorter than ECBP, which features the longest, spiciest finish I've experienced in a bourbon.
Value for Money and Final Impressions: Look, if you can find George T. Stagg on the shelf for $150 or less, it's worth it. If you can find it for its MSRP, thank God and buy as many as the store will let you take. Realistically, for most of us, the only avenue to get George T. Stagg is to pay the secondary market price of $500+, and it's not worth that much to me. It is a unique product, particularly in its rich, complex palate, which is a hair or two better than Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. But considering I can still find ECBP online or in stores for $60-100, I could never justify paying five to ten times the price for Stagg.
With that being said, Stagg probably is the best bourbon I've had in my life. The combination of its lengthy aging, Buffalo Trace's barrel selection, and the decision to bottle it at barrel proof makes for a one-of-a-kind experience. Drinking Stagg and virtually any other bourbon side by side, it's stunning how the comparison makes another bourbon -- even an excellent one -- seem watery and faint in its flavors. This one lives up to the hype.
Rating: A+