Stagg Batch 18 Bourbon Review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- The first release in the newly rebranded Stagg lineup is here! Batch 18 clocks in at an even 131 proof (65.5% ABV) and no longer dons the "Jr" designation on the bottle. The distribution on this one has been very strange, trickling out in only a few states thus far. Let me know if you've had a chance to try this one and what you think!
Bottle Breakdown - 2:40
Review - 3:46
Final Thoughts - 10:54
Stagg Jr. Batch 16 & 17 Comparison: • Stagg Jr. Batch 16 & 1...
Want to support the channel and get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content? Join the Drums & Drams community on Patreon!
PATREON: / drumsanddrams
I welcome healthy debate and fully appreciate how subjective whisk(e)y review videos are, but please be respectful about any disagreements or strong feelings you might have. I'll delete any rude comments in order to keep this environment friendly. Thanks for watching, and cheers!
If you enjoy my content, please consider giving my videos a "like" and subscribe to show support. You can find Drums & Drams on Instagram and Facebook, and if you're interested in seeing some of my work as a percussion soloist, you can follow the links below for more information. Cheers, and I hope to see you soon!
Music: www.epidemicso...
Drop me a line: drumsanddrams@gmail.com
Drums & Drams on IG: / drumsanddrams
Cameron Leach Links:
Facebook: / cleachmusic
Instagram: / cleachmusic
TH-cam: / cameronleach
OMG, I haven’t seen a Stagg in NJ since batch 12!!! Ugh. I got 2 of those for $50 each. They are great but do not pay over $125. Nice review as always. Fantastic channel.
Im from Washington state and these were showing up back in April. I thought it was a pick since i had not seen anyone review them. I like it and i think it is better then 16 and 17. I tried it against batch 12 and 12 is still better but not by a lot.
Yeah I thought they were also unmarked picks but come to find out that they just dropped crazy early up there lol. Definitely a huge step up from batch 17 for me.
Great review. I have had batch 12- 18 now. B18 is a hitter. So dark and complex.
Just grabbed 2 of the 131 batch 18 today (Nevada is a slow boat) and cannot wait to get into it.
I like how you cover secondary value, I’ve only seen these there so that helps.
Thanks for saying that! Some dislike when people talk about it, but I think it’s only realistic and I try to be fair and put things into perspective (as best as I can). Cheers 🥁🥃
Honestly I'm the complete opposite of you. Batch 16 was very bright and honestly boring versus 17 which was very complex and quite a bit darker. Personally I think batch 17 has a bigger oak influence (I.e barrel tannins). Overall 17 walks all over 16 for me.
Interesting! I know a lot of people who enjoyed Batch 17, so maybe I'm crazy or just being insanely picky (or maybe honing in on a particular note that I need to "get over" lol). I think 17 is better constructed, but the profile feels off. It's a trade-off I think, but that's just me!!
@@DrumsAndDrams I'll have to go back and compare them side by side. But from what I remember B17 was more molasses, brown sugar, dark luxardo cherry followed by dark chocolate, chared caramel. Where B16 was more bright (metallic) cherry, hint of orange curacao, followed by the more traditional bourbon flavors (caramel chew, vanilla etc ...). Overall I lean towards the darker side of bourbon and B17 brings in notes that I associate with older bourbon. Really wish they would be more transparent with what's in the blends.
Yea I’m shocked by his thoughts on batch-17
I'm with ya. I like 16 over 17. For some reason 17 fell flat for me.
The 131 non jr. is my only experience so far, but it's phenomenal! Great description with all those notes on the palate.
You talk about not buying it at that secondary price. But for some of us, that's the only way we're getting most of these whiskeys. What whiskey in that secondary price range would you recommend instead? Or what whiskeys at MSRP that aren't allocated/available beat this out? Thanks!
Hey Brian, great comment! I actually get most of the special releases you see on the channel for secondary price, which unfortunately 'is what it is" for me living in Ohio where I refuse to stand in line for 2-8 hours for these bottles. That said, I try to approach talking about secondary prices as someone who likely paid those very prices for these bottles.
And before I go any further, I know a lot of people who read this reply other than yourself will be angered that I'm openly discussing secondary prices or "encouraging" that market, but it's an unfortunate reality for a lot of people. That's my disclaimer I guess, haha.
As far as other allocated products that are comparably priced on secondary that can compete with a Stagg Jr like this, my immediate thought is Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend. Stagg Jr has been climbing to around 275-325 recently, which is right around JMCB territory. The JMCB wins every time for me, with a darker, older, and more refined flavor profile. I would also say to check out some Four Roses Barrel Proof picks, which live in the 150-250 range on secondary. Might be a bit more floral and spicy with less of a candy dark fruit quality, but again, I'd take those over SJR any day. Another thought would be Lucky Seven 14 Year picks, which aren't necessarily as comparable on flavor profile (they're a bit more "classic" and less candied), but you cannot beat the value. Plus, some of their proofs get in or above Stagg Jr proof territory. Those are generally 150-250 just depending on the pick ($150 is SRP). Another one would be 2020 and earlier Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.. again, not as comparable on flavor profile (similar to Lucky Seven), but killer value since secondary is around 100-150 for various 2020 and earlier batches.
Hope this helps and sorry for the novel! Great question and cheers!
Cam
@@DrumsAndDrams Thank you for this novel! You articulated your answer perfectly. Here in California, Stagg Jr also sits in the range you mentioned, so I appreciate your take even more because its realistic to what I'm sure a lot of people actually experience. I will definitely take a look at JMCB since that's one that I have my eyes on. I have a 3 4RBPs (OESV, OESK, OESF), though none of them I'd take over SJR. I'm still grabbing every other recipe that becomes available until I find my favorites of the 10. I tried and love the ECBP C919, much better than the ones I have C920 to A122, so I'll be on the hunt for older ones as well!
Thanks and cheers!
I was fortunate to be at a tasting yesterday where one of the items were Stagg jr. Was it a tasty bourbon - yes. I also have several ECBP store pick bottles at home that I actually enjoy more than the Stagg. They additionally had a Michter's 10 Year rye and a Thomas H. Handy rye that were better than the Stagg as far as a tasting experience.
@@DrumsAndDrams great response
Great review. I’ve only had batch 16 and 18 to date. I might rate 18 higher but prefer 16 to sip on weirdly enough. 18 has such a long finish that I wait loooong times between sips. Feels more like an experience while 16 is a bit more casual. Lol
If you’re feeling adventurous and enjoy Eagle Rare I highly recommend a 50/50 mix of 16 and 18. The orange and oak notes become sweet, but a nice strawberry note comes out that neither batch had on their own. So good!
Ah - hah ! . . . good to see u again DD . . . i always buy a bottle and put aside , when available.
How can you tell which batch you have. It doesn’t say on the label.
The proof tells. Batch 14 is 130.2, 15 is 131.1, 16 is 130.9, 17 is 128.7, 18 is 131, 19 is 130. I got an 18 yesterday for 85 in Louisville.
Great review, Cam. My local store manager promised me the first bottle when she gets it. 🤞
That's awesome!!
Love anything Stagg...Great review....Cheers brother
the black outfit and all those black Stagg bottles is very intriguing 😉🥃
Lol I don’t get it 😂
Good review. Was it a good price
Unfortunately picked this up on secondary so I may have paid something like $300 for it. Not worth that, not even close, but I did it so that I could get this review out there. Cost of doing business, I guess..
great review. have not had the chance to get this STAGG no Jr yet. sounds amazing. thanks for sharing. cheers.
Impossible for me to find in Ca for less than $300. I cant pull the trigger in those prices. How does anyone find these bottles for msrp????
Truthfully, I don't know. I would imagine you'd have to have a great relationship with a local store owner. I'm in a control state, so it requires several hours of waiting in line to *possibly* get a bottle. I just can't do it. Sometimes I get lucky with folks who watch the channel, but often I pay secondary prices just so I can review them. It just is what it is I guess, but thankfully there's better whiskey out there that's much more available.
I’m in the same boat as you (Pasadena/LA) so I’ve pulled the trigger at $200-250 each time. To me it’s worth it, because I like it more than most (if not all) bottles up to that price point and I can afford it.
A couple stores in So Cal still have it for $200 but not worth it for me. If I ever see it for $150 again I’ll buy.
@@jasono.1629 Where? I'll grab them if you don't mind!
@@briantengco6085 sorry gotta keep my honey pots a secret as there are other bottles there that I draw from. I’m sure u understand.
Go blind hunting, it’s a lost art form that 99% of bourbon drinkers don’t do here in So Cal. Lots of unique or older bottles still on shelves here for good prices. Example: I found and bought Weller Full Proof for $150 (before tax) last Friday. Never thought I’d ever be able to buy it, ever. Yet there it was in a random low key liquor store near my work. Take time to blindly hunt. Think of the massive size of So Cal, from San Diego at the Mexican border all the way up to Santa Barbara. There are 1 billion zillion trillion liquor stores in that span of land full of lost treasures! Yet only me and two other dudes are probably the only ones who explore it for bourbon treasure.
Wow, batch-17 is amazing! You must have gotten a bad bottle or something. That’s weird.
I was able to luck into getting a store pick stagg not the jr when they were released. No idea how it compares to an 18 non pick. I'm still working on my 15 so it is still unopened.
This should be dropping soon!!! Can't wait
What a Great Review!! Cheers Cameron
Hey Cameron! Would you be interested in a Stagg Jr Batch 1?
Great review man!!
Strange u mentioned teriyaki ....ive been getting worshschier sauce on some double oaks lol
How did you get this bottle already?
Had it sent from Washington, which I believe is one of the only places that has seen this batch so far.
I paid $75 a piece thank god.
I think you got a bad bottle of 17. My 17 tastes nothing like you describe! My batch 17 is close to my coveted batch 12. Batch 17 is amazing and I bought a back up bottle it was so good.
Doing multiple blinds, batch 16 always performs well from 12-17. 15 is the darling of the whiskeytubes, and people chase after 17 as the last of the Jr.’s. I think 16 and 14 get neglected and I love both of those batches.
Honestly, the only batch I don’t love from 10-17 is batch 10. They are all winners and it’s really splitting hairs. For some reason, I get glued to my chair when a Stagg review comes out, but of course I’m going to love it. ECBP has been more variable lately. And Booker’s… has my palate evolved or are the newer releases not as good? Country Ham was the last batch I went bonkers for. I liked Boston Batch. Many have been passes.
Thanks for the review. I will try to run a bottle or two down, but then, I always do.
I think you're spot on! 14 and 16 definitely get neglected. 14 wasn't my favorite when it was released, but after going back to it, I like it a lot more than 15 and 17. I've never had batch 10 so I can't really speak on that one.
As far as reviewing these things, I agree with you on the point that it's splitting hairs. I honestly get apprehensive about ECBP or SJR etc., because it's typically the same 7 notes, with subtle differences here and there. It feels underwhelming when making those videos, if that makes sense!
Yeah, Booker's is going down the tubes.. although tomorrow night on my livestream I'm going to try the most recent batch. Why do I keep wasting my money, though? Lol
@@DrumsAndDrams, I’m just wondering why Booker’s has gone downhill. It has always 6.5 years barrel proof age stated give or take. I literally bought a bottle, tasted it, and gifted it to a friend.
Sometimes I think it’s me… but I have those old bottles. They still taste good. I had a long vertical going and I don’t any more. If they do turn it around I might never know.
i like 19 better i think, i traded an elmer t lee to get the 18
Where do you live that you were able to get a Stagg?
He's in Washington
Lol, I think it's funny that people talk about these bottles like everyone can get them. 80% of people will never be able to even get a bottle.