Stagg 2003

[kitzg]

News from Buffalo Trace:

George T. Stagg Uncut / Unfiltered

Current reigning "American Whiskey of the Year", however, we may have outdone ourselves this year! This beautiful 15 year old whiskey came out of the barrel and will be bottled at a whopping 142.7 proof!!! (Last year's release was 137.6 proof).

The Stagg whiskey came from Warehouse B, Floor 2 and Warehouse H, Floor 3.

The entire bottling this year will be just 2,580 bottles.

[Paradox]

Thanks for the posting Greg. I got the same email, and by the time I replied to it and came on here to make the posts you beat me to it haha. I was so amazed to see the proof for this year's Stagg. That proof is just jaw dropping... I was glad to at least finally get confirmation that it will be another 15 year release. While down there at the distillery we were trying to get word if there will be any label design changes and they really wouldn't say much. Honestly, it seems that there still will not be an age statement on the bottle like last year's release (The other Antique bottles have an age statement but on the Stagg it just has the picture of a barrel) but I could be wrong and they could shock me, like Buffalo has been doing lately! A to Buffalo Trace yet again. Keep up the great work!

[pepcycle]

Mark,

Where did you get the e-mail? Any date for release?

Ed

[Paradox]

Hi Ed,

Unfortunately there was no date of release,but it sounds like it will be real soon from the way it was written to be honest. The email was sent out by Mark Brown... Maybe it's better we don't know the date because if we all do, then Bobby will, and we know how that'll end up... J/K Bobby, you know we love ya'!

[CL]

Thanks, Greg. I know you have told us if you knew, but I am really curious what the price will be this year.

[Paradox]

I asked that very question in an email I sent them in reply and will also be sure post that info once it is known.

[kitzg]

NO word from BT yet. I've asked them several questions and will let you know when I know.

Gotta get the new Stagg!!

[kitzg]

Bottling this week (9/22 - 26) and expected to hit stores by mid-October. I also got one impression that they think it is BETTER than last year's.

As all of us know, the producer does not control the price but the statement I have is that they're betting it will be at Liquor Barn in KY for about $49.99. Please keep in mind this is their best guess!! If we're lucky it will be lower. If we're not

I'm folding at least one $50 bill and hiding it in my wallet. Of course, Bobby will likely fold a $1000 bill so I'd better get there first! (we luv ya Bobby!)

[pepcycle]

Here's what I think Bobby is planning. He sells the original for $100 each and buys two of the new ones for $50 each. By the end of the decade he will have some exponential number of staggs.

[bobbyc]

This is Funny , and as much as I would like to corner the market, I will be very conservative relative to last year. $49.99 Gee!

[kitzg]

How much were you able to get Stagg for last year. I think I got some in TN for under $40. (May be my bad memory, though.)

Greg

[Paradox]

Yeah, but Bobby, 142.7 Proof! Whoa, that didn't take much convincing

[bobbyc]

$38.99 a great deal really. $11. more for 6 more points of proof.

[WEG3]

Is this going to be let out of Bourbon Heaven (KY) for purchace or will we the unkept masses be forced to near criminal acts to lay hands on the golden treasure ?

Bill G.

[Paradox]

Like the last release, it is supposed to be available outside of KY from what I hear. If your local store did not receive any the last time I would say get on the purchasing manager now to try and have him order some...

[bluesbassdad]

Bill,

At least there's hope.

Last December I bought three bottles of GTS at Hi Time in Costa Mesa, CA.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[Bob]

That release time frame makes me hope that Stagg '03 will be available of this year's WhiskyFest in NYC. I tried it there last year for the first time, and then was tortured for a few months as I tried to get some of my own! I'll gladly do that again.

Bob

[bourbonv]

Greg,

This sounds like an interesting product but the higher proof does not impress me as something I want. It simply means it was probably put into the barrel at the max 125 proof and aged in a hotter section of the warehouse (upper floors or near a steam heating pipe). What I would like to see is an uncut/unfiltered product with a barrel proof at 15 years old at something closer to 120. The grain flavors would really come out in that type of product.

Mike Veach

[tdelling]

>This sounds like an interesting product but the higher proof does not impress

>me as something I want.

>...

>What I would like to see is an uncut/unfiltered product with a barrel proof

>at 15 years old at something closer to 120. The grain flavors would really

>come out in that type of product.

That's a tough call. I'm not enough of an expert to figure that one out.

There was a study [1] done is 1959 looking at maturation vs. time over a

period of eight years for different barrel entry proofs (110, 118, 127,

and 154). In all cases, the higher proof barrels aged slower... fewer

tannins, etc. This was bourbon and rye.

The feeling is that hydrolysis of hemicellulose etc. goes faster when

there's more water around, so the barrel actually has a stronger

effect on lower proof bourbons.

The flip side of the coin is that the solubility of all these goodies

actually goes up with increasing proof, so that a higher proof bourbon

has the capacity to hold more barrel goodies than a lower proof bourbon.

The study was done for 8 years. What happens after 15 years? Will

the higer proof barrels overtake the lower proof barrels?

Tim Dellinger

(A little disclaimer: I'm not a real "bourbon chemist", I'm just an enthusiast

with an incomplete technical library.)

[1] "Effects of Barrel Proof on the Aging of American Whiskies",

Boruff and Rittschoff, J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 9, 630-3, 1959

[bourbonv]

Tim,

Your facts sound like the same that I have seen before and I certainly will not disagree with them. To back up your facts, in the U.D. archives there is a collection of letters from Stitzel-Weller - mostly correspondence between Julian Van Winkle and his sales force between 1918 and 1938. Just after prohibition he makes the claim that their 3 month old whiskey was better than the competition because of the recipe. What he does not tell them, but you can find in some of the ledgers, is that the barrel proof was very low - say in the 105 range. This would allow the aging process on top floors of the warehouses produce whiskey in 3 months that tasted a year old. There was also bottles of the product in the archive and it did have a straw color and looked more than 3 months old. Never tasted it because there were so few bottles, but that would have been interesting to try.

Mike Veach

[CL]

Any update on availability? I put in an order at the WV store near my parents. I am going to WV this Thursday. I hope the timing is perfect.

[Bob]

CL,

I was informed by a Buffalo Trace rep that GTS was made "available to order" last week. So, it is time to find out from our favorite liquor stores whether their distributors have ordered, or will order, the new GTS. I will be trying it next Tues at WhiskyFest NY. I'm on the hunt myself to buy a bottle or 2.

[Paradox]

I will be trying it next Tues at WhiskyFest NY. I'm on the hunt myself to buy a bottle or 2.

You know we all expect first impressions upon your return Bob! Well, maybe the next morning would be better. I want them to make sense after you stumble home from all that drinking that night

[Bob]

Mark,

You will get my impressions of the Stagg, as well as other goodies that I try (Michters for one), but it won't be until late Wed. I'll be staying in the city that evening. I sure wouldn't want to have to do ANY traveling that evening, except for wandering back to the hotel. Who knows, I may even blurt out a few touretteisms! I'll fit right in with the city crowd though!

Bob