Stagg JR Neat..

[Creggor]

Ok.. Over this past weekend I opened my first bottle of Stagg JR.. I tried it neat at first and found it kinda hard to take.. I figured I would let it sit for a couple of days and see if it opened up some. Just now after letting another decent size pour sit for ten minutes.. I took another sip/taste.. This is going to be hard one for me to drink neat.. It is really strong and almost overpowering.. I could drink it neat but in all honesty.. I am going to have to add some ice.. The initial burn is more than I like.. I sure hope future releases are more in line this GTS..I thought I read that BT had planned for 3-4 releases over this year.. I know I spoke with the National Rep a few weeks ago while I was at a store picking up a couple bottles of ORVW 107 10 year.. And he told me they had 7 cases left of the STag JR.. I have not seen this on any other store shelfs at this time.. I am going to assume it is not getting the initial love from others..hat Stagg Senior gets..I would much rather see more production allocated to the BTAC Stagg than an inferior product just to meet supply-demand..Creggor

[Creggor]

Ok I just now added 5 ice cubes to the pour of Stagg JR.. It sure did help in my opinion.. I could drink it his way but did not like all the heat and burn neat.. My wife would not like this without some diet coke.. I actually like Bourbon with Diet coke when I am looking for a nice big gulp.. Yikes..

[smknjoe]

You can drink it however you like but the Master Distillers will tell you that they don't drink barrel proof whiskey without ice or a mixer. Personally, I like to add a little water to just about everything over 100-110 proof. Try letting it sit in a glass for about 30 minutes, and then add water to taste. That's my typical routine.

[Red One]

You can drink it however you like but the Master Distillers will tell you that they don't drink barrel proof whiskey without ice or a mixer. Personally, I like to add a little water to just about everything over 100-110 proof. Try letting it sit in a glass for about 30 minutes, and then add water to taste. That's my typical routine.

[Creggor]

I would end to agree with that statement.. Ice and or some water will help the majority of the straight barrel proof offerings available today.. I ended up adding some Diet Coke to the Stagg JR and am feeling really good right now.. WEEEE.. Creggor

[mbroo5880i]

Another option that I find works well is to dilute it with BT. A 1:1 blend gives you something around 112 proof. I find this to very enjoyable.

[smknjoe]

That works too. You're still adding water...that's mixed with bourbon.

[jeffrey r]

Another option that I find works well is to dilute it with BT. A 1:1 blend gives you something around 112 proof. I find this to very enjoyable.

Yeah, I generally do this also as a starting point. I'll then further dilute or add ice to taste. I only have BT single barrels around, so this combo with Stagg Jr. works very nicely.

[ramblinman]

I know I'm probably missing out on some of the nuances with drinking barrel proof stuff neat, but I have to say I like it. I tend to take very small sips, and I guess dilute it quite a bit with saliva by doing that, but the flavor intensities are what I'm in barrel proof land for and I feel like I don't get that as much bringing it down closer to 100.

[petrel800]

To each his own, some barrel proof stuff I take neat, others, I add water. On a rare occasion, gasp, I pour it on ice. At the end of the day, if you're drinking it, you're not doing it wrong.

Unless you pour diet coke in it . . . too soon? Just razzing you Creggor. I may have poured coke in my EHT Barrel Proof once or twice. That stuff didn't agree with me really well.

[jtexaslonestar]

I know I'm probably missing out on some of the nuances with drinking barrel proof stuff neat, but I have to say I like it. I tend to take very small sips, and I guess dilute it quite a bit with saliva by doing that, but the flavor intensities are what I'm in barrel proof land for and I feel like I don't get that as much bringing it down closer to 100.

This is about how it goes for me with barrel proof bourbons.

To each his own, some barrel proof stuff I take neat, others, I add water. On a rare occasion, gasp, I pour it on ice. At the end of the day, if you're drinking it, you're not doing it wrong.

Unless you pour diet coke in it . . . too soon? Just razzing you Creggor. I may have poured coke in my EHT Barrel Proof once or twice. That stuff didn't agree with me really well.

Roger that! But seriously it all about is personal preference!

I remember my first bottle of Booker's, dang that stuff was hot but I figured out adding a splash of water transformed it into an amazing pour! And other times I just took the heat!:hot: Cheers!

[393foureyedfox]

I remember my first bottle of Booker's, dang that stuff was hot but I figured out adding a splash of water transformed it into an amazing pour! And other times I just took the heat!

I like Booker's neat, as is. But, I take small sips and it lasts quite a while. If I were chugging it, id probably add water as well.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

You can drink it however you like but the Master Distillers will tell you that they don't drink barrel proof whiskey without ice or a mixer. Personally, I like to add a little water to just about everything over 100-110 proof. Try letting it sit in a glass for about 30 minutes, and then add water to taste. That's my typical routine.

Remember that most of the times master distillers are drinking is to select barrels and blend. Sipping neat at those proofs will kill your palate quickly. If they sip at 100 proof at work, chances are they will prefer that proof at home

To go all conspiracy theory, they are still company men and getting them to admit it is better at a different proof than it is in the bottle won't happen too often.

But above all, drink if however you like it.

[smknjoe]

That was referring to how they drink it casually, not at work.

[ramblinman]

That was referring to how they drink it casually, not at work.

They sample barrels at much lower proof, right? Seems they'd have to, taste buds getting blown out if you're slurping 130pr for a few hours in a row on selection days.

[dcbt]

I actually had a couple ounces of Stagg Jr neat last night, coincidentally. Granted, I drink it really slow - usually at the rate of an ounce an hour, but I enjoy it. I don't usually drink during the week, but when I do, it's usually Stagg Jr neat.

[jtexaslonestar]

I like Booker's neat, as is. But, I take small sips and it lasts quite a while. If I were chugging it, id probably add water as well.

The water definitely helped a noob at the time (helluva a bottle to start getting serious with bourbon):bigeyes: The second bottle that I bought was my neat bottle. It was just a better all-around pour to me. Now I have a third bottle in a former Evan Williams decanter that I haven't touched due to other occupations. And FYI, I only chug WT101 from the bottle or large pours of Ardbeg 10.:cool:

[Quantum]

I like Booker's neat, as is. But, I take small sips and it lasts quite a while. If I were chugging it, id probably add water as well.

This is how I like my Booker's, especially during the winter or when I have a cold. I'll pour about an ounce into a miniature brandy snifter, and sip on it while I watch tv or read.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

This is how I like my Booker's, especially during the winter or when I have a cold. I'll pour about an ounce into a miniature brandy snifter, and sip on it while I watch tv or read.

I love the mini brandy snifters too. Perfect size and relatively cheap.

[squire]

They sample barrels at much lower proof, right?

Yes, the professionals dilute their samples to 40 proof.

[dSculptor]

a few weeks ago while I was at a store picking up a couple bottles of ORVW 107 10 year.. .Creggor

You can still get that stuff down there? Man when it comes around here it's gone before it hits the shelf! I would love to get my hands on a few of those, great stuff! From what they told me down there @ pappy, the squat bottles will no longer be made.

[Chewvenile]

Do you know which batch of Stagg Jr you have? I bought one from the first batch that came out and it was a scorcher. My friend and I walked in a store a few weeks ago and he picked up a bottle of a more recent release. Night and day difference. We compared bottles this weekend and batch 2 is much more forgiving, much sweeter and could easily be sipped neat. Batch 1 not so much, while good had a very long burn.

[tigerlam92]

Do you know which batch of Stagg Jr you have? I bought one from the first batch that came out and it was a scorcher. My friend and I walked in a store a few weeks ago and he picked up a bottle of a more recent release. Night and day difference. We compared bottles this weekend and batch 2 is much more forgiving, much sweeter and could easily be sipped neat. Batch 1 not so much, while good had a very long burn.

Interesting. I have seen the new releases and been skipping on them since I have some bunkered. May have to try it. I thought their was something that look slightly different on the label or a small sticker or something too.

[black mamba]

I just bought a Stagg Jr. 3 days ago, and while no batch number is on the label, it is 67.20% or 134.4 pf. Which batch is this?

[dcbt]

I just bought a Stagg Jr. 3 days ago, and while no batch number is on the label, it is 67.20% or 134.4 pf. Which batch is this?

I have a few bottles at that same proof. One store owner told me it was leftover from the holiday release. If there have been two releases so far, I'd think that would the latest (I think the first was in Aug / Sept.)