Stagg JR Neat..

[JPBoston]

I generally enjoy my barrel proofers neat... though they are the exception as opposed to the rule for me, so I enjoy the change of pace, and really savor the barrel strength flavors.

I did find myself adding just a few drops of water to the few healthy pours of WLW I've enjoyed... I'd drink about half the serving neat, then try switching it up with a few drops of water. I enjoyed it very well with some water, which is definitely rare for me. Even OGD 114 or KC120 seem to buckle under dilution for my tastes.

[WhiskyRI]

Interesting to hear that the profile is changing - Stagg Jr is one of the few whiskies that I just can't add enough water or ice to - and I like cask strength whiskies. It's flavor profile just isn't for me. I recently used it as a control whisky at a charity tasting to show that not every "rare" bourbon is worth buying or drinking. This is the lineup of the tasting it was a fun night.The random Single Malt at the end was 21 Year Caol Ila at the request of a Scotsman who was distressed at being forced to drink bourbon all night. So I threw him a bone and finished the night off with some Caol Ila. The Jewbilee 2013 bottle was really extraordinary. 15 Year Old Heaven Hill - it might have be favorite of the night although the Willett FE 12 year is a close second followed by the PVW20.

[ethangsmith]

I mix my Stagg Jr. 50/50 with Old Grand Dad 80 proof. It's quite tasty! I call it the "Junior Senior."

[smknjoe]

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.

We had a wave of more Stagg Jr. hit the area a month or 2 ago and they are the same proof as the first release. I don't know if it tastes any different since I haven't bothered to pick up any. I already have 1 extra bottle and my open bottle definitely doesn't have a leak in it.

[TheOakMonster]

I'm not so sure there's a second batch. When I store got resupplied in mid-January, the bottling date on the cases were the same September date as the original release.