Stagg Jr.

[jeffrey r]

Batch 3 seems to have dried up for the most part in my area. I have picked up a Batch 4 while passing up multiple others of Batch 4.

I was also disillusioned to learn recently that I had blended away my entire bottle of Batch 3 with a bottle of Buffalo Trace single barrel for a vatting, while leaving bunkered bottles of Batches 1 and 2 unopened and untouched. Would love to have my Batch 3 bottle back to drink on its own, but at least it lives on in 2 bottles worth of the vatting (which is still quite good).

[altadoc]

shoot... yeah not much reason to have bottles # 1 and 2 around. #3 is so much better. keep an eye out, seems there is more available in southern nj, at least a few weeks back

[mbroo5880i]

Enjoying a nice pour of Batch #3 as I type this. It followed a pour of GTS14. While it is not as complex and I would rate it slightly below the GTS, Bambi is holding its own. I always knock BPs down to the 105 to 110 proof range. Batch #3 is very similar to CEHT in this range.

[Bluffhunter]

I picked up a bottle of Stagg Jr. and from what I have heard there are different releases. This was a 132.2 or 66.1% version. Any reviews on this one and what is the difference between this and the others? have heard the 134 proof was off and not up to standards. How often do they do different releases/versions?

[amg]

I picked up a bottle of Stagg Jr. and from what I have heard there are different releases. This was a 132.2 or 66.1% version. Any reviews on this one and what is the difference between this and the others? have heard the 134 proof was off and not up to standards. How often do they do different releases/versions?

What you have is the most recent batch, batch #4. I haven't tried that one but from what I've read it's good.

[signde]

I picked up a bottle of Stagg Jr. and from what I have heard there are different releases. This was a 132.2 or 66.1% version. Any reviews on this one and what is the difference between this and the others? have heard the 134 proof was off and not up to standards. How often do they do different releases/versions?

[bourbonfoot]

yeah that's batch 4. i can hardly taste the difference between batch 3 and 4. make sense since they are nearly identical proofs. both batches are really good. miles better than the first two batches.

Agreed on both counts.

[unclebunk]

What you have is the most recent batch, batch #4. I haven't tried that one but from what I've read it's good.

Now I'm confused. According to post #601 in this thread, the 66.1% was batch #3. What was the proof of batch #4?

[tanstaafl2]

Now I'm confused. According to post #601 in this thread, the 66.1% was batch #3. What was the proof of batch #4?

Batch 3 and 4 are very similar in proof. My recollection is:

Batch 1: 134.4 proof

Batch 2: 128.7 proof

Batch 3: 132.1 proof (66.05%)

Batch 4: 132.2 proof (66.1%)

Batch 3 and 4 seem to be similar in taste as well from what I read but have not tried either. I am still trying to finish a Batch 1!

[fishnbowljoe]

Thanks to another member here, I have another bottle of Batch #3 coming my way soon. :bigeyes: :woohoo:

Cheers! Joe

[unclebunk]

Batch 3 and 4 are very similar in proof. My recollection is:

Batch 1: 134.4 proof

Batch 2: 128.7 proof

Batch 3: 132.1 proof (66.05%)

Batch 4: 132.2 proof (66.1%)

Batch 3 and 4 seem to be similar in taste as well from what I read but have not tried either. I am still trying to finish a Batch 1!

Thanks very much for the info. I have a choice between batch 2 and 3. Is there a consensus of any kind on which of the two to get?

[fishnbowljoe]

Thanks very much for the info. I have a choice between batch 2 and 3. Is there a consensus of any kind on which of the two to get?

IMHO, go with the batch #3 Hank. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands for you. :grin:

To be honest, I never tasted batch #2, but I did buy a bottle from batch #1. The difference between batch #1 and batch #3 was night and day. Batch #1 was hot, dry, and a bit tannic to me. The heat blocked out whatever flavor there might have been. Batch #3 was great. Rich, viscous and full of flavor. That's why i'm looking forward to getting my third bottle soon. My first two were finished rather quickly. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate on the batch #3. IMHO, batch #3 bears much more of a family resemblance to it's big brother GTS. YMMV though……..

Cheers! Joe

[Paddy]

+1 on what Joe said. The batch #3 bottle I had was mildly tempered, and I mean that in a good way (stressing was).:grin:

[unclebunk]

IMHO, go with the batch #3 Hank. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands for you. :grin:

To be honest, I never tasted batch #2, but I did buy a bottle from batch #1. The difference between batch #1 and batch #3 was night and day. Batch #1 was hot, dry, and a bit tannic to me. The heat blocked out whatever flavor there might have been. Batch #3 was great. Rich, viscous and full of flavor. That's why i'm looking forward to getting my third bottle soon. My first two were finished rather quickly. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate on the batch #3. IMHO, batch #3 bears much more of a family resemblance to it's big brother GTS. YMMV though……..

Cheers! Joe

[jackthedog]

Just got a bottle of the 132.2. Looking forward to trying it. I didn't have either of the first two batches but everything I've read leads me to believe it's just gotten better in the later batches.

[Dave43]

IMHO, go with the batch #3 Hank. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands for you. :grin:

To be honest, I never tasted batch #2, but I did buy a bottle from batch #1. The difference between batch #1 and batch #3 was night and day. Batch #1 was hot, dry, and a bit tannic to me. The heat blocked out whatever flavor there might have been. Batch #3 was great. Rich, viscous and full of flavor. That's why i'm looking forward to getting my third bottle soon. My first two were finished rather quickly. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate on the batch #3. IMHO, batch #3 bears much more of a family resemblance to it's big brother GTS. YMMV though……..

Cheers! Joe

[fishnbowljoe]

I just got a bottle of Batch #4, and another bottle of Batch #3. I plan on doing a side by side, but it will probably be a while.

[Chuckles]

Well, I am late to this party, but here goes. I bought two bottles of 134.4 last fall (batch 1), and finished one off in due course, but I wasn't particularly fond of it--nothing objectionable but nothing special. Last winter I picked up a 132.1 (batch 3), and it was night and day--the 132.1 curled my toes with a explosion of flavors that were complex and really hit the spot with me; I finished off the bottle that week and went back and cleaned out the store (4 more @ $50 each, as I recall, which I considered a great buy). I later drank my last batch 1 side-by-side with a batch 3 and confirmed, for me, that the 134.4 was so-so and the 132.1 was superb, and I was surprised at the marked difference between them (hard the ball & chain set up some blind tastings for me, too, and never failed to recognize the batch 3 as best). I've bunkered my remaining batch 3s for special occasions and have my eye out for others--and will grab a batch 4 if I spot one.

[fozzy71]

My batch 1 got emptied last week and can't wait for a good reason to open #2 then #3. Hopefully I find some batch 4 before they are both empty.

[unclebunk]

Well, I am late to this party, but here goes. I bought two bottles of 134.4 last fall (batch 1), and finished one off in due course, but I wasn't particularly fond of it--nothing objectionable but nothing special. Last winter I picked up a 132.1 (batch 3), and it was night and day--the 132.1 curled my toes with a explosion of flavors that were complex and really hit the spot with me; I finished off the bottle that week and went back and cleaned out the store (4 more @ $50 each, as I recall, which I considered a great buy). I later drank my last batch 1 side-by-side with a batch 3 and confirmed, for me, that the 134.4 was so-so and the 132.1 was superb, and I was surprised at the marked difference between them (hard the ball & chain set up some blind tastings for me, too, and never failed to recognize the batch 3 as best). I've bunkered my remaining batch 3s for special occasions and have my eye out for others--and will grab a batch 4 if I spot one.

Thanks for the info on your side by side comparisons, Chuckles. Hope all is well with you these days!

[tanstaafl2]

I bought a couple of Batch 1 when they first came out and was generally underwhelmed so I never bothered with subsequent batches. Guess I need to see if I can find a Batch 3 or 4 and see if it suits my palate better as well.

If so I guess the left over batch 1 goes into cocktails!

[jeffrey r]

Batches 3 and 4 are significantly better than batch 1 for sure. At $50, and readily available around me, it's a heck of a good and compelling bourbon now IMHO.

[Chuckles]

Thanks for the info on your side by side comparisons, Chuckles. Hope all is well with you these days!

Thanks, Hank, doing okay; hope you are doing well.

Coincidentally, stopped at the liquor store on my way home after posting on Friday, and it had some Batch 4 (now at $58, up eight bucks in eight months). Bought one and had to try it right away. Seemed excellent, but not outstanding, so I had to pull a Batch 3 (which I consider outstanding) from the bunker to do a side-by-side. To me, Batch 4 is slightly hotter (must be that .05% increase in ABV), yet slightly sweeter. I think Batch 4 has a nicer nose, nicer legs, and a richer, creamier mouth feel. Another explosion of flavors, but not as well balanced, since one taste (slightly licorice to me) seems to somewhat mask the others. So Batch 3, with its more complex, balanced taste and better finish (important characteristics to me) earns my nod. That said, I went back and bought two more Batch 4s. Gonna be fun finishing up the open bottles with more side-by-sides while anticipating repeating them in the future.

[Jazz Nut]

Would there be a benefit of blending batch #3 and batch #4? I've got both but only batch #3 is open, I've enjoyed it so far!

[mibourbonguy]

Would there be a benefit of blending batch #3 and batch #4? I've got both but only batch #3 is open, I've enjoyed it so far!

We won't know until you try it :toast: