barrel proof

Review: Stagg Jr. (Batch 13)

The bourbon fan who can’t obtain a coveted bottle of George Stagg might have an easier time finding Stagg Jr. The whiskey distilled by Buffalo Trace Distillery is eight years old and presented, like its father, uncut and unfiltered. The two whiskies share the same mash bill as well. The 13th release of Stagg Jr. (how time has passed!) arrives at a hearty 128.4 proof.

I can’t believe it’s been seven years since this brand came to market. Tasting a few batches since the beginning, they’ve come a long way from the overly hot first release. How does this one fare?

The nose is inviting, offering hints of dark fruit (think chocolate covered cherries), oak spice, and toffee. It clearly shares DNA with its BTAC brethren. The palate is quite drinkable neat, though a splash of water doesn’t hurt. It features hints of dark caramel, cinnamon bark, and a splash of fruit sweetness and tanginess. The finish is long, as expected with a barrel proof bourbon, with lingering hints of spiced dark caramel and sweet oak.

Buffalo Trace Distillery should be commended for this release. In my humble opinion, they’ve managed to really hone the George Stagg DNA into a whiskey half its age. Sure, it’s nowhere near as dark and brooding as the BTAC version, but it carries those darker caramels and cinnamon spice well. For an eight year old barrel proof bourbon priced at about $50, you can’t go wrong.

Buffalotracedistillery.com

Thanks to Buffalo Trace Distillery for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: Booker’s 2019-03 “Booker’s Country Ham”

A while back during a local Knob Creek tasting here in New Orleans, the local Beam Suntory team brought out one of Fred Noe’s country hams for the group to enjoy. I eat ham all the time, but this one still sticks out in my memories.

Country Ham is the name for the third batch of Booker’s bourbon in 2019. Booker Noe loved his ham. In fact, there’s a story in Jim Kokoris’s book, “The Big Man of Jim Beam,” in which Booker brought one of his smoked hams to a fine restaurant in Chicago. You know, to show them how real ham was supposed to taste!

This batch is 6 years, 4 months, and 2 days old, and has been bottled at 62.35% ABV (124.7 proof). The nose is typical Booker’s – lots of vanilla and caramel alongside hints of honey-roasted nuts and oak. At just over 124 proof, Booker’s Country Ham drinks fine neat. Taste-wise, it’s more of what you’ve come to expect: lots of vanilla, roasted sweet corn, caramel-covered cinnamon rolls, and some oak spice. The long finish wraps you in a sweet, warming Kentucky hug.

Booker’s Country Ham is another solid batch of Jim Beam’s cask strength bourbon. It’s a great one to introduce people curious about the brand as it solidly represents the Booker’s standard flavor profile. Recommended! Now, if I could just get my hands on more of that country ham…

Bookersbourbon.com

Thanks to Booker’s bourbon for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: Heaven Hill 27-Year-Old Bourbon

This fall, Heaven Hill is releasing a 27-year-old barrel proof bourbon. This would be the oldest bourbon I’ve tasted. That title was previously held by Orphan Barrel’s 26-year-old Old Blowhard.

The one-time release was distilled in 1989 and 1990 at the Old Heaven Hills Springs Distillery. For this bottling, 41 barrels were batched together. Thirty-six of those barrels came from the first and second floors. Maturation on lower floors of a warehouse is generally slower than barrels aging on the top floors. Temperature swings aren’t as varied on the lower floors.

The 41 barrels yielded less than 3,000 bottles. The angels took more than their fair share. After 27 years, those barrels didn’t have much whiskey in them. The proof after batching came to 94.7, or 47.35% abv.

After a few minutes of airtime, the nose is quite fragrant with hints of dark toffee, cloves,  dried fruit, and leather.  There’s a kind of dusty quality that develops, but it’s ever so slight.  On the palate, there’s an initial burst of dark chocolate-covered cherries.  Hints of slightly burned caramel, vanilla bean, and dried fruit soon develop, giving way to old oak, leather and spice – notably cloves and nutmeg.  I love the development of flavors on the palate.  The long finish is dry, with lingering notes of dried fruit and oak spice.

I’m quite surprised this bourbon isn’t over-oaked.  At 27 years old, there’s obviously a soft bed of old oak on which all other flavors play on, but the overall flavor profile is not dominated by oak. The folks at Heaven Hill certainly know how to craft an ultra-aged whiskey.   At an SRP of $399 a bottle, Heaven Hill 27-year-old bourbon isn’t a whiskey to shoot or rush through.  This old bourbon is elegant and requires your attention as you nose and taste it.  I hope to have the chance to buy a bottle when it’s released.  This is a must-have for fans of older whiskey.  9/10

Thanks to Heaven Hill for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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