BOTM, 2/06: George T Stagg, Fall '05

[Virus_Of_Life]

I think you'll find the most common ranking among contributors here who've tried them all prior to the current one would be:

• 2002
• Spring 2005
• 2004
• 2003

The current Fall 2005 seems to be heading toward the top half of that list.

Thanks Tim! I am not very good at remembering where I read something and finding it again later, I need mark things in my favorites more.

I guess I won't worry too much about never tasting the earlier versions since Spring 05 ranked so high and I personally think Fall is even better. Sorry to hear you're not joining in the fun and opening one of those bottles, always enjoy hearing your thoughts...

[TNbourbon]

Okay, lassoed a stray '05/141.2 Stagg, so didn't have to crack the 3-pack. (By the way, I left 8 more on the shelf @ $51.99 -- add 9.25% sales tax. PM me if you're attending the Sampler and can't find one. Sorry, no legal shipping from Tennessee.)
I'll try to post a note in the 'Tasting' section, but first impressions:
Lot of wet corn on the nose, not as much of the usual leather and tobacco (different mashbill? Ken? Guess maybe I ought to open that 3-pack and compare info sheets, huh?). Plenty of heat, corn follows onto the palate, with some orange/citrus. Heat dissipates slightly to a medium-long finish.
Ya wanna know my absolute first thought when it hit my tongue? ETL (on a good night) on steroids.

[bobbyc]

Sorry to hear you're not joining in the fun and opening one of those bottles, always enjoy hearing your thoughts...

Ah one of my little rituals as it pertains to Stagg is to pop the top on my first one once it is in my little hands, it helps me to decide how many more to look for, but then my general rule of not buying any other bourbon or leaving a bottle in the store , if possible, should take care of that.....

Interesting that Tim questions that this may be of another mashbill, he may be on to something............

[DrinkyBanjo]

My wife and I were watching TV on Friday night and I was drinking a small glass of Stagg from Spring 05. She took and sniff and thought it smelt really good, she is not a whiskey drinker but I usually make her take a sniff of what I'm sampling. She couldn't believe how nice the nose was so I told her to take a small sip and she hated it! I knew she would but I found it funny!

[Joeluka]

My wife and I were watching TV on Friday night and I was drinking a small glass of Stagg from Spring 05. She took and sniff and thought it smelt really good, she is not a whiskey drinker but I usually make her take a sniff of what I'm sampling. She couldn't believe how nice the nose was so I told her to take a small sip and she hated it! I knew she would but I found it funny!

I do the same thing with my wife. She loves to sniff all my pours, and hates to drink any of them. She loves the smell of a nice heavy ryed bourbon the most ( Buffalo Trace, Old Forester.... ) Any Staggs though smell to strong for her.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I just got off the phone with Binny's as I am trying to find the best deal on a 3 pack of Stagg to put away and was told they have 3 types , spring and fall '05 (ok makes sense) and The Rare release - which goes for 500 a bottle. Now he couldn't say for sure what that was, but I am guessing this has to be 2002. Anyone else have any insight into this? Obviously I am not going to pay $500 for a bottle of it, but was just curious if the 2002 GTS has reached such legendary status that it goes for that?

By the way the more I taste this Fall release, the more I think it is better than the Spring just IMO.

[TimmyBoston]

I haven't gotten a chance to taste any of the new Stagg, does anyone have any tasting notes they'd like to share?

[Gillman]

I'm bumping to indicate my thoughts on the 141.2 which I tried for the first time today courtesy a friend who brought some back from D.C.. I was astonished how soft and drinkable this is for such a monster proof whiskey. It was soft as a pillow, with concentrated flavours of orange, fig and damask. I had a couple of the early Staggs and found them feisty and somewhat awkward in comparison. This is an elegant whisky and let down to about 110-115 proof is just about the best older whiskey I've ever had, no I'll come out and say it, it IS the best older whiskey I've had. Ken Weber and the others at Buffalo Trace behind this are geniuses and they've pulled a sly trick by releasing something as good as what came before if not (in my view) better, as distinctive and as quality-driven but in a completely different way. Well done gentlemen. This reminds me of the best mid-1900's bourbons I've had at Gazebo tastings except better.

Gary

[bluesbassdad]

. . . with concentrated flavours of orange, fig and damask.

Gary,

I am unable to find a definition of "damask" that suggests a flavor element (except perhaps in a metaphorical way, as in "silky"). Please elucidate.

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[Gillman]

But damask has a smell, Dave, or can have especially older hangings and other decor made from it, and smell and flavour are often hard to separate. Damask can have an odor of musk, of perfumed cloth. This is what I meant.

Gary