JPK Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Hey friends. Trying to decide my next splurge... Knob creek single barrel or Stagg Jr. I've had regular KC...and liked it pretty well. It sounds like the KCSB is sweeter than Stagg JR....would you agree? Also..would you say that between the 2 listed..that Stagg Jr is more similar to OGD114 in flavor profile ( ie. high rye and kinda sharp)? ..and that KCSB might have a closer taste profile to that of EC12? (ie sweet clove caramel)....again comparing StaggJr and KCSB. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Stagg Jr is the BT mashbill #1 (low rye). So I'd say Stagg Jr. is more like a younger iteration ER10 (at barrel proof). KCSB is essentially barrel proof KC, so if you enjoy KC you're getting a better average up to great barrel with usually just a few proof points taken out (to get it to 120). OGD is it's own thing, and I wouldn't compare it to either one of these. As to your question, I'd buy both! They are both great bourbons, at a great value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTerp Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Neither of these are going to be very similar to OGD114. Like Paddy said Stagg Jr is a low rye mash bill. KCSB will be at least 9 years and Stagg jr is likely a little bit younger (but both are definitely older than OGD). I love Stagg jr (although I've only had batches 3and 4) and would recommend that but you're unlikely to make a bad choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I feel as though it's hard to lose with either bourbon, assuming you like Buffalo Trace distillate and don't mind a bit of a rugged profile (some would call it rough). You already know you like Knob Creek. I can't personally relate to any of the comparisons you are making, but we are all at different places in our bourbon journey, so maybe someone else will have sympathetic tastebuds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 ^^^^Back to the original question, I'd say that the KCSB finish will give you something closer to the sweet clove caramel you're describing. Given the age, the oak influence is also comparable with the EC12. With the Stagg Jr., I seem to get more up front heat, then ripe fruit and tobacco notes on the finish. But, that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnbowljoe Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 1 hour ago, JPK said: Hey friends. Trying to decide my next splurge... Knob creek single barrel or Stagg Jr. I've had regular KC...and liked it pretty well. It sounds like the KCSB is sweeter than Stagg JR....would you agree? Also..would you say that between the 2 listed..that Stagg Jr is more similar to OGD114 in flavor profile ( ie. high rye and kinda sharp)? ..and that KCSB might have a closer taste profile to that of EC12? (ie sweet clove caramel)....again comparing StaggJr and KCSB. Thank you My advise to you would be to either flip a coin, or buy both. I know this may sound like I'm trying to be humorous, which I am, but.... FWIW, my favorite distillery is BT. If I absolutely had to make a choice, it would be the Stagg Jr. However, I've had some truly wonderful bottles of both. In my books, that's a toss up. Let us know what you decide. Cheers! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOwhisky4me Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Buy both. Even if you have to spread out the purchases... Buy both. Open them and enjoy a couple pours out of each bottle, then close 'em up for a couple weeks and let 'em both sit. Then some evening when you're wanting or deserving a real treat, open 'em up side by side and compare. Then let us all know what you think. Trust us... Buy both and we guarantee it will more than double your enjoyment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acs2653 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 So I recently bought both of these bourbons. I would go with the stagg jr. I think it has a seeet flavor profile because of some cherry notes that I get. I haven't had it in a few days but I will say that it is a flavor bomb to the mouth. Now I just finished a pour of KCSB. I would say it had more of a Carmel, peanuts flavor with a little spice in the mid palate. Both are good and if you are considering price, the KCSB may be a better value. Where I'm at the Stagg Jr. Is 50ish and the KCSB is 33ish. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I'll go with the majority above and say "both". Of course, that is what I always say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hop Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Good topic... I never gave this much thought but while I do enjoy Stagg Jr after giving it some thought and reflection I believe I would gravitate to KCSB - in fact as I look at what I drink more of from my bunker it's definitely the KCSB. Thanks, your question gave me something to think and reflect on and likely will curtail my Stagg Jr purchases in the future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPK Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 Thank you for the replies friends. It really does help me out. I'll probably end up getting both eventually. Around here both bottles are $50. I'm tempted to get the KCSB 1st....but it might be a which ever is on the shelf at the time decision. ...especially since StaggJR seems to be less common. From what I've read and the opinions here, the KCSB sounds to be more in line with my preferred taste. Keep hearing about cherry flavors (cherry cola in fact) in the Stagg...that just seems a little strange to me...I'm not I big cherry coke fan..I'll drink it ,but I'd almost always prefer a regular coke. Both of these will have some decanting done in order to compare to others later. I'm hoping the KCSB will be a "turned to 11" version of the regular as I do like the regular KC. It's been 2.5 years since I had KC but I remember liking it quite a lot. The only thing that got me at the time was the higher proof...I was just starting out with whisk(e)y then and was just becoming accustomed to the 80 proof norm. I'm hoping it will be similar to the difference in the concentration of flavor between Laphroaig 10yr vs Laphroaig 10yr cask strength (my fav scotch BTW) though the proof difference isn't as much between the KC & KCSB. Guess we'll see..lol Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I'll make one additional comment about the KCSB.... All the barrels dumped for this brand are definitely not 'honeys'. Although Beam/Suntory does a pretty good job with picking to a profile for it, I've had a couple that were subpar. One was almost all heat and no taste, the other was only OK while most of the bottles I've tried were much better. Just my own experience with about a dozen bottles of KCSB..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPK Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 sounds like a good amount of experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thig Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 When I got into Bourbon a few years ago I tried a lot of different ones and still do. I ranked them as very good, average, and don't buy again. Both of these are very good in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_mays Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I like them both but I seem to drink a lot more KC. It seems I am rarely in the mood for Stagg. I don't even think I have a bottle open since I finished my last one almost a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emr454 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 No experience with Stagg Jr but I did really like the one bottle of KCSB I bought a couple years ago. If the price difference isn't drastic, definitely buy and try both. In central NY, I see KCSB for roughly $40 and the lowest I've seen Stagg Jr was $70. In this case, it's KCSB for me every time. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spade Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 2 hours ago, Thig said: When I got into Bourbon a few years ago I tried a lot of different ones and still do. I ranked them as very good, average, and don't buy again. Both of these are very good in my opinion. I did something similar when I first got into whiskey. And, I'd also rate these two similar. As others have said, they're definitely both worth trying. I think KCSB has more oak than Stagg Jr. and is closer to EC12, which makes sense if some of the barrels are actually more than 9 years old. If I were deciding between the two knowing that I'd try both eventually, I'd probably go for the Stagg Jr. just because it's harder to find, at least in my neck of the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBadley Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I would go with the Stagg Jr. Not long ago I did a SBS of the Jr and a store pick 120 KC. Maybe they didn't pick the KC well, but the Stagg easily had the better flavors I thought. Tried both straight, water, ice, time in glass etc.. and all. Still the same conclusion. An added bonus is I have recently grown to prefer BT business practice over Beam -Suntory. I know that doesn't make a difference with the juice, but who would I rather give my money to? Cheers, RW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPK Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) RWBadley... You happen to make a topic about that? I searched for it but no joy. ...also unless it's a long deal...what's wrong with Beam's business practices?....I'm completely ignorant of them. Thank you Edited January 5, 2017 by JPK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyfish Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 55 minutes ago, RWBadley said: An added bonus is I have recently grown to prefer BT business practice over Beam -Suntory. I know that doesn't make a difference with the juice, but who would I rather give my money to? Cheers, RW I would rather give my money to companies that does the best job of satisfying my preferences in bourbon. Beam, BT, 4R and HH have figured out how to do that. If I only dealt with companies who totally satisfied all my moral requirements, I would be walking, starving and naked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDanner Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I've been trying for months to like my bottle of Stagg Jr, but I just don't. I've tried letting it sit, different levels of dilution, as well as ice. I've only had a couple pours of the KCSB and the barrel it came from was excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Just now, BDanner said: I've been trying for months to like my bottle of Stagg Jr, but I just don't. I've tried letting it sit, different levels of dilution, as well as ice. I've only had a couple pours of the KCSB and the barrel it came from was excellent. What you need to do is dilute Jr. with basic BT or ER10 instead of water. I did this with the infamous batch 1 that most people hated (and I agree, it wasn't good on its own or with water). BT and ER did good things to it and it was very drinkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDanner Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 3 hours ago, emr454 said: No experience with Stagg Jr but I did really like the one bottle of KCSB I bought a couple years ago. If the price difference isn't drastic, definitely buy and try both. In central NY, I see KCSB for roughly $40 and the lowest I've seen Stagg Jr was $70. In this case, it's KCSB for me every time. Eric In my area the Stagg Jr (when available) is $50. The KCSB is always available, but is $52. That's why the only KCSB I've had was drank on a vacation with another family. I did like it well enough that I would consider it for that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDanner Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 2 minutes ago, flahute said: What you need to do is dilute Jr. with basic BT or ER10 instead of water. I did this with the infamous batch 1 that most people hated (and I agree, it wasn't good on its own or with water). BT and ER did good things to it and it was very drinkable. Excellent idea!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emr454 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 9 minutes ago, BDanner said: In my area the Stagg Jr (when available) is $50. The KCSB is always available, but is $52. That's why the only KCSB I've had was drank on a vacation with another family. I did like it well enough that I would consider it for that price. If I could find Stagg Jr for $50 I would definitely buy it. IMO $52 is too high for KCSB. The bottle I bought was about $39 if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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