Stagg Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky launched what was originally called Stagg Jr. in the fall of 2013, positioning it as a more accessible counterpart to George T. Stagg, the ultra-limited barrel proof release from the distillery's Antique Collection. Early batches drew mixed reviews for being hot and unbalanced, but the distillery refined its barrel selection process over subsequent releases, and by Batch 4 drinkers began noticing a marked improvement in balance and depth. In 2022, starting with Batch 18, the label dropped "Jr." and became simply Stagg, a name change reflecting the whiskey's own maturity within the lineup.

Stagg is built from Buffalo Trace's low-rye Mashbill #1, the same recipe behind Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and its Antique Collection namesake. It's released in discrete batches multiple times a year, with no fixed age statement, though most releases are understood to fall between seven and nine years old. Each batch is bottled uncut and non-chill filtered straight from the barrel, so proof varies release to release, typically landing somewhere between 125 and 134 proof depending on what that particular batch of barrels yielded.

The nose brings dark caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, layered with dried fruit and a hint of dark chocolate. On the palate, brown sugar and baking spice lead into charred wood and black cherry, with the barrel proof heat giving the whole sip a bold, concentrated weight. The finish runs long and warming, closing on lingering oak, toffee, and spice that stretches well past the last sip.