2004 George T. Stagg <older than 16 years this time around!>

[Bamber]

I recently tried Stagg for the first time (2003 version) and was so just so impressed. It is without doubt the finest alcoholic drink I have ever tasted.

Not sure if you've tried this yet but let it breathe in the glass (covered) for about 45 - 60 mins. Then warm it in the hand. Becomes even smoother and more flavours come out.

As fo the price you paid: $210 here for the 2004, minimum. I did consider it after sampling the 2003 but I decided I had better save some money for food

[doubleblank]

As I've said before, my favorite retailer here in Houston is Spec's....60,000 sq ft of wines, spirits, gourmet foods, beer, glassware,..... and BBQ supplies. I was down there picking up a 20lb bag of cherry wood chunks to smoke some chicken and ribs but had to go down the bourbon aisle. There was the new 2004 Stagg on the shelf. As I had picked up a good supply during the fest, I only picked up one and left the other two on the shelf. Also picked up a bottle of the older ORVW 15/107 for the bunker. Will probably give this 2004 Stagg as a gift......while a find the Stagg's to be great bourbons, I wouldn't want it for my regular pour. Their intensity and "warmth" don't always work in our warm Texas weather (we're going to 90 deg today).

Randy

[Tallica]

My Bourbon Fairy informed me you may find one or two at Binnys for $50.00 each , not advertised on their web site.

I have two put away plus their last four Tributes.

[clayton]

Does anyone know how many total bottles of Stagg 04 are being released?

[WEG3]

Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhh!!!!

I got a call early this week that my botlle shop had a case of GTS for me ....NOT !!!

Some how it got switched to the Spring of 1984 Sazerac Rye ..

Oh the Pain the pain ..... Heads will roll for this ...

Bill G. the Stagg-less

I did buy a bottle of the Sazerac but the shop keeper is back on the hunt ....

[musher]

Does anyone know how many total bottles of Stagg 04 are being released?

I can't say that I know, but I've got an educated guess . . .

The little fact sheet included with the cases of Stagg (basically, a letter to the retailer) includes the following facts:

<ul type="square"> [*]Barrel Size is 53 gallons [*]Evaporation loss was 53.18% [*]The bottling consisted of 40 barrels

Assuming that the barrels were filled to their full capacity (which I have absolutely no clue is true), that means that there were originally 2120 gallons barreled.

Now deduct the 53.18% evaporation loss, and you get 992.58 gallons. Since a 750 ml bottle is approximately 25 fl. oz., and 992.58 gallons equals approximately 127,050 fl. oz., that comes out to about 5,082 bottles.

Therefore, I'd say that there were probably approximately 5,000 bottles produced this year. Give or take . . .

[clayton]

Thanks, Mike. That's exactly the info I was curious about. Thanks for doing the homework.

[Ken Weber]

Not being a math major while in school, I am blown away by the accuracy of your calculation. Anyway, I can tell you we produced 1,378 three-bottle cases of Stagg (4,134 bottles). Since the bourbon is 16 years old, you can use the following calculations:

8 - 10% loss in year one (soakage and evaporation)

3% loss in each successive year (15 x 3 = 45%)

Approximate loss of 55%.

Some barrels experience greater outage factors than others, while some barrels had the audacity to leak more before they self sealed. Not being able to reduce the proof by adding water meant that we were not able to stretch the product at all. Finally, some whiskey is lost during processing. By processing I am referring to dumping the bourbon, running it through a screen to get the barrel char out, and then pumping it to the filling lines.

One last thought, 4,134 bottles would be normally be converted into 344 1/2 twelve bottle cases.

Ken

[LeNell]

Tears...tears...just so little...so few...so good.

[TNbourbon]

I can tell you we produced 1,378 three-bottle cases of Stagg (4,134 bottles)

While it's certainly a shame to have so little of it, it ought to make those of us who can find it feel special -- that's about 1 bottle per 1.5 million people (figuring world population at 6 billion).

[LeNell]

Don't make me cry harder! I ain't feeling so special cuz I ain't even gonna keep a bottle for myself I got so little of it. Joking aside, I am glad I got what I got for a few lucky customers.

[musher]

I also made a slight error, in that a 750ml bottle is closer to 26 fl. oz., not 25, which cuts a couple hundred out of the total as well.

[lakegz]

I wish i knew where to get some in San Diego, i've been to a million places and have never seen any Stagg.

[dgonano]

Just saw one last Stagg on the shelf today. Couldn't resist purchising it. Also picked up a bottle of ORVW 15 before it disappears.

[TNbourbon]

I can't help but chuckle a little here and shake my head, not at you guys who can't find Stagg -- for whom I have appropriate and sincere regret -- but at the irony of all the poor JD #7 drinkers here in TN who don't know good whiskey when it falls in their laps: but, as noted earlier, one area store still had at least 6 bottles (maybe more -- I didn't ask because I knew I'd regret even more not being wealthy) of last year's Stagg on the shelf as recently as a week ago. He said he'd ordered considerably less of this year's (much to my chagrin) because he'd had such a hard time selling it.

I promise -- I'm gonna keep buying now and again when I have funds until it's gone, if it isn't already. If I get plenty, I'll bring it to the Sampler or Festival next year.

[gr8erdane]

I put an order for a case in at a shop back in August and checked back each month so far to insure that they still had my order. Well, they called last week while I was visiting my dad and said they had it and wanted to know if I still wanted it. When I finally got in touch with them they apologized that they only had two bottles left but were expecting more in about a month if I wanted to wait. Needless to say, two bottles in the hand are better than three on the order pad so they should be arriving at the Gr8erdane Bar and Grill around the first of the week. Now if I can just find the time for a trip to Tennessee to see my old buddy Tim and my two "foster children Tributes"....

[bobbyc]

He said he'd ordered considerably less of this year's (much to my chagrin) because he'd had such a hard time selling it

I was shaking my head this year at the Getz auction because a bottle of Stagg went for a hundred bucks. I commented that it was because so few there even knew what it was. Bad for them.

I'm about done proselytizing, I give a drink away every now and then, Those are going to get tight .

[Speedy_John]

Hey, Ken! Any of those 4,134 bottles earmarked for Pennsylvania? We've received the newest releases of the Eagle Rare 17 and Sazerac Rye, but no Stagg. What's the story?

SpeedyJohn

[Speedy_John]

Wouldn't you know it...we received our shipment of the new Stagg the same day I wrote my previous message...3 bottles. They never sniffed the store shelves. I got one, and the other two were put on hold for customers who requested a bottle some time ago.

Ken: any chance we could get a few more sent this-a-way?

SpeedyJohn

[gr8erdane]

Hey Speedy John,

at least you got some to come to you. I had to order mine from Chicago and they sold one of my bottles out from under my nose. I'm just waiting for BT to give the green light to sell more of their wonderful offerings in the Show Me state. I can hold out a little longer Ken, so fill those barrells to the top and make room for some for us. After all, at least some of those are made from good old Missouri white oak. I'm sippin on a small pour of 04 Stagg while I write this. Stagg, it's what's for breakfast. MMMM, I can taste the Ozarks in it for sure.

[TNbourbon]

Stagg '04 has made its appearance in Tennessee -- the 3-pack I asked my boss to order came today, along with a single bottle of Sazerac '04. No ER17 yet, though. At least, our store didn't get any.

Since it was two days before payday, I only brought one Stagg and the Saz home, but will get the other two Staggs Saturday. Stardard markup retail is $46 ($35.66 cost).

Since I tasted the '04 at the Gazebo during the festival, there's no urgency to open this one. However, when I get the other two home Saturday, I suspect I'll renew a recent acquaintance.

[Ken Weber]

Only 30 bottles of Stagg were shipped into PA, however, you can ask the store manager to special order a bottle or two for you. I am currently trying to get more sent there.

Ken

[LeNell]

How about New York? We need more Antique Collection!!!! I've got the biggest bourbon selection around and I got 9 bottles of Stagg and Sazerac and no Eagle 17! "MORE! MORE! MORE! the crowds roar." Last year I put my Antique Collection on the shelf, but this year customers have been so crazy for it, I hid it behind the counter and doled it out to a few lucky souls on my long waiting list.

[Speedy_John]

Wow! Only 30 bottles? Why so few? If I remember correctly, PA was sent 40 three-bottle cases last year, with 40 stores receiving one case each. When you say you're trying to get more sent to PA, who or what is possibly resisting your efforts? If you can get more sent here, make sure you mention they send another case (or two) to Store #0214

I just checked the PLCB website, and the Stagg is listed only as a stock code. No Special Liquor Order code was given.

Well, whatever happens, I can't complain--at least I got one bottle. And for that I am most grateful.

SpeedyJohn

[Ken Weber]

The Eagle Rare 17 production this year was disappointingly low this year. We just didn't have as many quality barrels as we would have liked.

As for getting additional cases into PA and NY, I am trying to find out if any states around the nation did not take their entire allocation. If they have not, I have already put in my request for all available cases. If I get them (which I may very well not), I will send a couple additional cases your way.

Ken