Bourbon Scout Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 (edited) a dusty bottle that's on the shelf or the one that you must seek to find? Edited January 13 by Bourbon Scout 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bourbon Scout Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 I will have to say now that I have a buzz. Couldn't really tell much difference in nose or taste in the mouth. Going down the pipe was for sure the "Beam" peanut vs Stagg Ginger spice. I find it really amazing how different bourbon can get the taste profile that they do. I'll have more of each I believe...its Friday afterall. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 I vote for the KCSB. Every one of those I've tried over the years has been good. I can find it too, without much trouble. SJR was the opposite for me. Early batch I tried was a hot mess. I know folks here sing the praises of the later batches. Those never make it to a shelf around here. If I did get the chance, it would be an inflated price - like 3X the price of KCSB. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 If it's one of the really good Stagg's then it probably wins. KC will win more consistently. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsfan1311 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 14 hours ago, PaulO said: I vote for the KCSB. Every one of those I've tried over the years has been good. I can find it too, without much trouble. SJR was the opposite for me. Early batch I tried was a hot mess. I know folks here sing the praises of the later batches. Those never make it to a shelf around here. If I did get the chance, it would be an inflated price - like 3X the price of KCSB. Agreed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJWP Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 On 1/13/2024 at 5:43 AM, PaulO said: I vote for the KCSB. Every one of those I've tried over the years has been good. I can find it too, without much trouble. SJR was the opposite for me. Early batch I tried was a hot mess. I know folks here sing the praises of the later batches. Those never make it to a shelf around here. If I did get the chance, it would be an inflated price - like 3X the price of KCSB. I agree I'll take KCSB all day . I do like the Batches of SJR I've had but still prefer KC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bourbon Scout Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 Got to be honest after a couple back and forth sips and KC takes it for me. I am not a fan of the ginger fiz that I get on down the pipe of Stagg. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmossle Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Most of the time it will be Stagg for me. However, there have been a few KCSB that have knocked me off my feet and have been real winners. I think that various proofs that you can get and try with Stagg is what sets it apart from KCSB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurgalunas Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 On 1/16/2024 at 4:21 PM, elmossle said: Most of the time it will be Stagg for me. However, there have been a few KCSB that have knocked me off my feet and have been real winners. I think that various proofs that you can get and try with Stagg is what sets it apart from KCSB. Agree. If dealing with currently available bottles, I personally think Stagg hands down. The 9.5 yr KC SiB now available don't do it for me, the peanut note generally hasn't aged out. If we are talking KC SiBs from 3-4 years ago, I might vote KC depending on the barrel. There were some 12-14 yr KC SiBs that I'd put up against anything. To me, Stagg has gotten much better over the past 3-4 years while the KC has gone the opposite direction (due to Beam changing what is available for SiB program). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I've had some remarkable KCSB that I would pick over Stagg, and none that were bad - but for me the most 'average' Stagg JR was better than the most 'average' KCSB. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsfan1311 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 All this KCSB talk had me wondering. Back in 2017 we toured Beam and they let us bottle our own*. I just looked at the bottle and realized it was the 9 year KC SiB. I'm sorely tempted to crack it this weekend but any SBS with Stagg Jr. wouldn't be fair, because the only bottle that I have left is that hot mess 2nd release. That and I'm trying to whittle down the open bottles. *Basically....the gave us a bottle, then we rinsed it with whiskey, (in this drinking fountain/eye wash kind of thing), and they took the bottles and put them on the bottling line where we watched them fill. Then they handed us the bottles and gave them to the guy dipping them in wax. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 14 hours ago, GaryT said: I've had some remarkable KCSB that I would pick over Stagg, and none that were bad - but for me the most 'average' Stagg JR was better than the most 'average' KCSB. This is such thoughtful and insightful post. Very solid! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 15 hours ago, GaryT said: I've had some remarkable KCSB that I would pick over Stagg, and none that were bad - but for me the most 'average' Stagg JR was better than the most 'average' KCSB. 43 minutes ago, smokinjoe said: This is such thoughtful and insightful post. Very solid! Yes, many of us have had some remarkable KCSB over the years and KC9 is one of my favorite standard pours. However, if I were picking something off the shelf and both were available, I would opt for Stagg every time. Our GBS brethren providing good advice as always. I am certain they ran it by the GOAT before responding. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I say there are two issues to consider that make this an uneven comparison. Good and bad batches - consensus seems to be there were early batches of SJR that didn't measure up to acceptable standards. What gets me is this is a batched product, not a single barrel - no excuse for it. Meanwhile all the barrels Beam releases for KCSB seem to be pretty good. Price and availability - if I look and bide my time, I could find KCSB as low as $35 and pick up multiples off the shelf. SJR - never see it on a shelf. I believe whatever few bottles are publicly acknowledged go into some sort of lottery and sell for around $100 now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsfan1311 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) 14 hours ago, mbroo5880i said: Yes, many of us have had some remarkable KCSB over the years and KC9 is one of my favorite standard pours. However, if I were picking something off the shelf and both were available, I would opt for Stagg every time. Our GBS brethren providing good advice as always. I am certain they ran it by the GOAT before responding. I've read a lot of good things about the later Stagg releases, but have never tried it. All things being equal, I'd do the same as the KCSB is readily available, IF the price was right. 5 hours ago, PaulO said: I say there are two issues to consider that make this an uneven comparison. Good and bad batches - consensus seems to be there were early batches of SJR that didn't measure up to acceptable standards. What gets me is this is a batched product, not a single barrel - no excuse for it. Meanwhile all the barrels Beam releases for KCSB seem to be pretty good. Price and availability - if I look and bide my time, I could find KCSB as low as $35 and pick up multiples off the shelf. SJR - never see it on a shelf. I believe whatever few bottles are publicly acknowledged go into some sort of lottery and sell for around $100 now. I agree.....whoever let these get bottled must have had a head-cold when they tasted then decided they were good enough to bottle...."didn't measure up to acceptable standards" doesn't even begin to describe how mediocre the first couple of batches were. Like others, I bought them as they were released, for ~ $50.00, in the hopes that they would resemble their big brother. I was disappointed. The 1st was hot and bitter. The 2nd release was just a hot mess, and somewhat bitter. Very hot. Very messy. Almost undrinkable. I quit buying after the 2nd release, but did try release #3 and it wasn't bad. Not great, but not bad. I have a bottle of release#2 that I didn't touch, but couldn't bring myself to dump. I couldn't even use it in my bourbon slush recipe, because the ABV was too high and it wouldn't freeze right. Fast forward to a few years and a fellow SB'er posted how they mixed it with ER10 which, for whatever reason, elevated them both to a great pour. I'm not a fan of either but the combo really sings. I'll probably end up buying an ER10, just to use up the half-bottle of Jr. that I have left. Edited January 19 by Skinsfan1311 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 8 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said: Fast forward to a few years and a fellow SB'er posted how they mixed it with ER10 which, for whatever reason, elevated them both to a great pour. I'm not a fan of either but the combo really sings. I'll probably end up buying an ER10, just to use up the half-bottle of Jr. that I have left. Apologies for the thread drift, but THIS - finding ways to enjoy a whiskey that maybe doesn't hit you right neat - is one of those lessons I wished I learned earlier than I did. Sometimes it just takes a bit of something else blended in that makes it hit the right notes! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 23 hours ago, smokinjoe said: This is such thoughtful and insightful post. Very solid! Thanks Joe! Posting pre-5am is my sweet spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 10 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said: I've read a lot of good things about the later Stagg releases, but have never tried it. All things being equal, I'd do the same as the KCSB is readily available, IF the price was right. I agree.....whoever let these get bottled must have had a head-cold when they tasted then decided they were good enough to bottle...."didn't measure up to acceptable standards" doesn't even begin to describe how mediocre the first couple of batches were. Like others, I bought them as they were released, for ~ $50.00, in the hopes that they would resemble their big brother. I was disappointed. The 1st was hot and bitter. The 2nd release was just a hot mess, and somewhat bitter. Very hot. Very messy. Almost undrinkable. I quit buying after the 2nd release, but did try release #3 and it wasn't bad. Not great, but not bad. I have a bottle of release#2 that I didn't touch, but couldn't bring myself to dump. I couldn't even use it in my bourbon slush recipe, because the ABV was too high and it wouldn't freeze right. Fast forward to a few years and a fellow SB'er posted how they mixed it with ER10 which, for whatever reason, elevated them both to a great pour. I'm not a fan of either but the combo really sings. I'll probably end up buying an ER10, just to use up the half-bottle of Jr. that I have left. I found that I enjoyed the infamous Stagg Jr. batch #1 by mixing with BT. Mixing with the same mashbill in the same family can create a great whiskey. I had a similar experience with EC18. Way too woody for me. I mixed with EC12 which was available at the time and viola, a stellar whiskey. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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