George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2014 Release
69.05% ABV
$80 to $100 (retail)
Website
What the Distiller Says
This extremely hearty whiskey ages in new charred oak barrels for no less than 15 years. Straight out of the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, the taste is powerful, flavorful and intense. Open it up with a few drops of water, sit back and ponder the wonders of the universe.
The 2014 release is comprised of barrels aged for more than 16 years and 4 months.
TASTING NOTES:
Lush toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat and molasses. Underlying notes of dates, tobacco, dark berries, spearmint and a hint of coffee round out the palate.
What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich dark chocolate, charred oak, vanilla, molasses, cigar paper; bit of water tamps the oak and brings out more brown sugar and toffee.
Palate: Warm, bitter chocolate with vanilla, raisins, cinnamon; bit of water brings out more caramel, more milk chocolate and mixed nuts.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with a smokey note of dark roasted coffee.
Comments: I have never met a George T. Stagg that I didn’t like. Are some years “better” than others? I suppose if you’re blessed to have multiples laying around to compare – sure.
I’ve never had one that I thought wasn’t pretty damn great. Where does this sit? No idea; I did a blind side-by-side between this and the 2018 vintage – which is 13 proof points lower – and found the differences to be few/far between. This is one of those that if I ever see it retail (stop laughing, it might happen again some day) and it isn’t marked up obscenely – it’s an automatic buy for me.
When you say the differences are few and far between, what exactly do you mean? Not many differences and are similar in taste and quality?
Thanks!!
Hi Trevor – you got it. Very similar in taste. Folks who are REALLY aficionados with experience across the various vintages will probably have preferences of one over the other. My point is that the majority of consumers aren’t going to notice or care those subtle nuances. Put it this way – if someone offered me a pour of George T. Stagg, I wouldn’t care what the vintage is or turn my nose up if they specified the vintage. It’s damn fine bourbon.