Can't say I've ever heard anyone describe Stagg Jr as "sour" and have such a negative reaction to drinking it. You sure Erin's glass wasn't contaminated? Maybe not fully rinsed from washing or something?
Josh here. I had the same thought so I checked during the tasting. We actually check all glens before ever pouring too just to be safe (we don’t ever want to shoot a whole video that ends up in the trash because we didn’t do our due diligence beforehand). We included the bloopers of me smelling her glass too. No issues with glass contamination. Ours smelled identical. She just consistently isn’t impressed with Stagg Jr, and she flat out dislikes Batch 17 specifically. My theory is that the way in which the fruit and oak mingle on the finish comes across as sour and off-putting to her.
Worth noting that we both also think that Buffalo Trace often has a sour tinge on the finish. It’s not something we find on all Buffalo Trace products all the time, but it’s definitely there on regular Buffalo Trace for us more often than not.
This. I get it from Mash Bill 1 sometimes too. It's why I'm not in love with base buffalo trace. Eagle Rare has enough of a grape note it kind of masks it or makes it feel at least like it fits in the sip... but BT every third time or so; I get that sour note and it just makes it less enjoyable. Never gotten it from Stagg, but I've only had Stagg at a bar... Just would assume the proof would help cover it up. @@stuffandwhiskey
PS: Particularly serendipitous in that I was enjoying my 1792 store pick bottled in bond as I sat down to see what y’all posted today lol (haven’t found full proof yet)
I drank along with a pour from my bottle of 1792 full proof store pick and I agree with you guys on a few points. Bought mine for $50 and was totally worth it at that price. I would probably spend $60-$65 max for a bottle from the same store but only $50-55 from a store I've never bought from before. I got lucky with mine as it has great flavor and very viscous which I like. Thanks for the great content!
This video definitely highlights difference in market availability for me. Theres two different stores i can go to this moment and grab a 1792 full proof store pick for $44.99. With stagg jr on the otherhand we experience the exact same secondary mark ups and rareness.
The Stagg Jr market has definitely gotten insane lately. Do you feel as though 1792 Full Proof can measure up as a reasonable barrel proof replacement?
@@stuffandwhiskey personally comparing to stagg jr batch 17 specifically id say yes, 1792 full proof pick is a easy replacement. I got a stagg jr batch 17 bottle 4mos. ago, had 2 pours and its been sitting ever since. 1792 full proof bottle I got way more recently is half gone.
That's exactly what I paid 2 days ago for 1. In the area most stores sell the standard 1792 FP for $45, so was surprised when I found a pick from the most reputable store/group in the state for same price. Took a chance on it & it is great. Not hot at all like I hear so much about. Seems the FP has improved a lot in the last cpl yrs.
I recently picked up a 1792 Full Proof store pick but haven't cracked it open yet. Glad I got it for $55 now! They still had a good bit but I have been impressed with their other store picks so looking forward to it!
That’s awesome Chris! We’ve found that if you can find a store that picks with a consistent end goal in mind, and you find that you like some of their picks, it’s a good bet that you’ll like most of their picks. Cheers!
I have only had Stagg Jr at restaurants so I am not sure what batch they were (A Gulch burger joint used to have it for $15 a pour), but I loved it. One day I will find a bottle. Hopefully. Maybe. But probably not.
I've bought white pepper as well as other spices just to hone in on my whiskey notes, its a cool experiment. Love your dining room color scheme but any plans to create a "whiskey cave" back wall like every other channel?
Great question Jimi. No plans for that at all. No shade to any channel that does--they're cool for sure--but they're not our style. We’re content doing our own thing and always hope it feels like folks are sitting down at our island bartop with us and chatting about pours just like we’d do if we had you over for drinks.
Thanks OFW! As taste is so subjective, the fun and reactions are really what these videos are all about--they're just disguised as whiskey reviews. Glad you enjoyed. Cheers and thanks for watching!
1792 is a great pour at a great price. The best part is that you can actually find it on the shelf. I get to buy it at least once a year. On the other hand, in the last 2-3 years, I have not seen Stagg Jr on the shelf. I don't heavily hunt for allocated bourbon, but I do stop at least 2 times a week at different stores just in case, still no luck.
We feel your pain, Bender. Anything we get that's allocated is 100% due to store loyalty and frequent shopping. Luckily there are great, available bottles out there like 1792 Full Proof to offset some of the FOMO. Cheers and thanks for watching!
Always interesting to see how bottles fair when no one knows what they are. My favorite bottle in my cabinet is Stagg Batch 14, I dare say I prefer it over my 2020 GTS even. I haven't opened my Stagg B17 yet but this has me alittle nervous about it!
If you love Batch 14 then it's pretty safe to say you'll love Batch 17. While we're a house divided on Stagg Jr, we both agree that 17 is markedly better than 14. Cheers and thanks for watching Christopher!
Just now, I cracked open the 1792 Full Proof. As I poured a dram, enticing aromas of brown sugar and pear wafted up from the glass, preparing my senses for what was to come. The initial sip revealed a symphony of flavors - the sweetness of brown sugar intertwining with the freshness of pear, complemented by hints of dark toasty almond. The texture was elegant on the palate, offering a smooth and refined experience. The finish was a lingering delight, with spicy oak notes dancing on my taste buds long after the sip was savored.
Great video as always! I haven't been able to find either bottle in Murfreesboro or Spring Hill so far. As for the 1792, I got a similar cherry cough syrup taste with Woodford DA which I hated. If the 1792 is even close to that I'll steer clear of it!
Cherry notes toe such a fine line between Luxardo cherry syrup for some (like Josh in this video) and cough syrup (like Erin in this video). Keep in mind that this is a single barrel pick as well, and other single barrels will differ. Most of the good shops in Murfreesboro and Spring Hill should have a taster open for you to try before you buy if you happen to run across a 1792 store pick. If you do run across one, give it a shot and let us know what you think!
I have never had the opportunity to try Stagg, I recently found a 1792 Full Proof bottle for 50$. It is amazing. Sweet and Spicey. It's peppers 🌶 dipped in caramel. I love it.
This for me is a clear case of a higher proof being the first sip of the day, blowing the palate away for Erin and the face she made on the 2nd glass later makes me feel even stronger about that. I think they both are excellent tasters and reviewers but 2 high proof Bourbon’s might not be a good way to start your night off if doing reviews but of course the draw was blind so you have no control over it. S&W are always a channel I reference when deciding on bottles or when I have questions about certain things I’m tasting/experiencing when I drink my whiskey. Great head to head and I have both these bottles including a 1792fp Store Pick (bought around $40) although mine came from Texas. I have StaggJr (12, 15, & 17). For me I would place 17 just behind 12 which is amazing. I never got to try batch-9 which I’ve heard was also great. I must say I love both these bottles and I think I got a homerun on my 1792FP pick. Pretty much in Texas you won’t find StaggJr below $200 If I’m ever confused on the nose on something, I almost always reference Erin’s thoughts.
Josh here. Cheers and thanks so much for watching L J! It's worth noting that while the first part of your comment certainly seems plausible, Erin just consistently doesn't like Stagg Jr--blind or not. There's a sour note we both get on the very tail end of standard Buffalo Trace sometimes. She gets it on Stagg Jr as well, but it's amped up because of the proof. It's just not a product for her, which is fine by me because I enjoy Stagg Jr quite a lot, and I never have to worry about her mooching from me if I pour a glass. 😉
Catching up on older episodes I missed. I was able to recently find and buy a bottle of 1792 Full Proof. Had only seen the 1792 Small Batch, so when I found the Full Proof, I overpaid to get it. ($65). Would like to find the 1792 BIB and 12 Year. Love your blinds.
Thanks Dave! And you didn’t overpay too much. They range from $50-65 in our market as well with most stores in the $55-60 range. For the proof and price it’s not a bad value even at $65.
I had one pour of stagg Jr at a bar. And it wasn't terrible, but not my preference. Drank really hot. My 1792 store pick I'm in love with. One the first bottles I've gotten that prefer over rare breed. Sweet oak with just a little spice and a lingering maple finish. Super sweet, which I love. I got it for $50 at a store 2 hrs away while out of town on business. I'm kicking myself for not grabbing two now.
I had Stagg Jr as a pour at a restaurant for bout $13 I liked it but got a medicinal cherry taste to it which is only thing I didn't like bout it and I love Buffalo Trace products heck Eagle Rare is my fav bourbon🥃
Cheers to that ISDP! We really hope this video highlights how two 7-10 year Kentucky barrel proof bourbons from major distillers aren't all that different in many ways. It really comes down to a flavor profile preference. In that sense, there are quite a few 120+ proof Kentucky bourbons available under $100 that measure up quite favorably to a lauded bottle like Stagg Jr in a blind (especially a double blind).
@@stuffandwhiskey Agreed 💯. I’ve only been lucky enough to try a sample of Stagg Jr from a good friend, and I remember it being great… but not worth anything near secondary. Just hoping I can get lucky one day. In the meantime, the more regularly available and fairly priced Rare Breeds, ECBPs, and Jack Daniel’s SBBPs are more than enough to put a smile on my face. Cheers!
Urine bourbon!! 😂 There’s this oddly sour tinge we get on standard Buffalo Trace sometimes and it manifested itself here as well, except the proof of Stagg Jr exacerbated it. Wish we’d thought to mention that in the video.
Another great video. I am a self professed fomo Stagg pursuer. I have been lucky to get a few. Prices vary of course. When I drink one I am often less than impressed. I have JDSBBP bottles that are better. I appreciate Erin’s opinion. Stagg is good. But not $200 good. A local retailer I was bugging said to me “it’s just a bottle bud”. He was being a dick but in hindsight he was right. I have better bottles that cost less and are findable. Fight the fomo.
Cheers to that, Chris! We’re working on a video idea around that very comment. It’ll be a while before it’s out but it should be a good one. In our market Stagg Jr values and rarity are reaching into the realm where the only reasonable way to acquire one is to get a different bottle of something hard to find and trade locally for a Stagg Jr, and that’s a lot of work when there’s so much good available whiskey out there.
Great review again. One of my disappointments as a bourbon enthusiast is not being able to find a bottle of Stagg Jr for less than $200. I’ve never had it . Luckily, I can find 1792 FP. I really enjoy it.
I've never been able to find one at msrp either. I do have a whiskey bar local to me that has some older batch 13's available for individual pours though which is how I've been able to try it. Batch 13 is amazing btw :)
@@red5standingby419 one of these days I’m bound to find it at a bar. I believe there is a batch coming out in June. It’s no longer called Jr. I’m going to hunt hard.
@@C_H_1972 relationships with local stores is the only way we've managed to get our hands on the batches we have. Not sure if that's a thing in your area but it's worth a shot.
@@stuffandwhiskey I have tried very hard to follow that common recommendation. Unfortunately, most of my local stores sell allocated bottles at secondary. It’s disheartening, but true. For example, I have a store nearby. I buy there regularly. He got some bottles of Weller 107. He’s asking $129. I tried talking him down to $100 and he wouldn’t budge. I had 2 regular bottles on the counter! That’s been my experience locally in the Chicago area. My best bet has been first come first serve large liquor stores. The problem is getting there on delivery days. If I’m off, I try going. I’ve had some luck with that. I think whiskey tube channels fair better with that strategy bc of the notoriety and volume of purchases. After 2 years of trying to befriend owners, I’m a little tired out. Anyhow, thank you for the discussion.
If you can go to a whiskey bar get a pour of what you want to buy and taste it. Especially if it is getting into that 2 or 3 hundred dollar range then Definitely try first
@@stuffandwhiskey Haven't tried 1792FP yet but it's on my list. Maybe I'll order off wooden cork if they have a fair price for it if I can't find it around here. Btw, love how responsive you guys are with your viewers, I'll have to check if I'm subscribed, I think I am, but if not, I will.
I was given about 1/3 bottle Stagg Jr and I've only had 1 pour from it, which I didn't even finish. All I could smell or taste was artificially-sweetened grape drink powder...
Well I'm happy 1792 Full Proof did so well. It is difficult to find at retail but not as difficult as Stagg Jr. In my area Stagg Jr if you can find it on a shelf is $100. Secondary is insane. So I'll have to make due with the Full Proof.
Thanks for watching Dean! The dirty little secret that often gets swept under the rug is that 7-10 year barrel proof Kentucky bourbon is 7-10 year barrel proof Kentucky bourbon, regardless of who make it. Of course there will be profile differences between distilleries just as there will be between batches of the same product from the same distillery. Full Proof is a great barrel proof pour and hardly a consolation prize in our eyes. Cheers!
Erin looks so upscale, like she came from big money. Then she’s so tight with a dollar, it’s funny to me. Love watching you two! Thanks for the honest review
Haha! Well thank you James. Luckily the blinds keep us honest, and we always try to stay down to earth. Glad you enjoy the content. Cheers and all the best!
STAGG Jr is not as good as I thought it would be. I guess it depends on the person. I use mine as the mixer bourbon. I like my 1792 full proof barrel pick much better.
Some poor bottler at Buffalo Trace is sweating bullets that Erin found out he peed in the Stagg Jr. Also, Good on Erin, resisted the urge to pump up the channel subs by giving it 2 thumbs up for nose. No need to appeal to that crowd.
Wow and info says this is a stag that didn't make cut which is why one wasn't released last year. So you would think it would be ever better than standard jr.
We’ve heard the same rumor, but to our knowledge that was never confirmed. Having blinded Batch 12-17 recently for fun, 17 was middle of the pack with 13 and 14 coming in below 17.
Josh here. Valid concern for sure. For quality control purposes, all the glasses we use are given a sniff test prior to filming. If one of us gets something crazy in one glass while tasting then we use the other person’s glass to verify nothing was tainted. We don’t take ourselves too seriously but quality control is a biggie for us. In retrospect, what Erin was getting on the finish of Stagg Jr is the same twinge we both get on the finish of standard Buffalo Trace from time to time. The proof of Stagg Jr just amplified it for her. Stagg Jr has never impressed her but Batch 17 is on its own level in that regard. I finished her glass after filming and it was great!
@@stuffandwhiskey Josh thank you so much the response huge supporter of this channel! I bought the B17 close to secondary yesterday and was a little worried lol 😆
@@jP-nw7nm for sure man. It's a tough pill to swallow paying secondary, at least for me, but I like Stagg Jr enough that I've considered it on my favorite batches. I haven't yet... but I'm not saying I won't ever. I'd just go in knowing I'm paying $100-120 for the whiskey inside and the rest for the rarity. Batch 17 has gotten mixed reviews but I think it's great, but we're definitely a house divided on this one. 😂
Here's to hoping you find one for $60-100 one day. The only way we're able to get them at those prices is through loyal, long term relationships with our local store. We're not specifically hunting Stagg Jr, but if we were, we'd save a lot more money just buying at $300 than frequently shopping at our local store (but we'd miss out on a lot of great whiskey in the process--a lot of which we prefer to Stagg Jr). Cheers and thanks for watching HTG!
@@jryan13864 Erin gets this combo of sour and acidic-like sharpness on this batch specifically, hence that note as it’s what it reminds her of, but enjoys pretty much every other batch to some degree (and a few she even loves). Most people won’t review things double blind either so most content is slanted toward what people think they should be getting and/or other inherent bias. Regardless of whether something is reviewed well or not, we always keep it real, because the blinds don’t lie.
Haha! In rarity, you’re not wrong. In blind tastings? That’s debatable and highly specific to personal tastes. Grab a few dozen sample jars and do some blind tastings yourself. When you don’t know you’re drinking Stagg Jr it might surprise you. Cheers and thanks for watching!
@@paularmost8671 it was a 1792 single barrel, and single barrels vary of course. If you want to be really surprised by what tasting notes you get and how things compare, grab a few dozen sample jars and some stickers, fill the jars up with all the barrel proof pours from your collection and label them on the bottom, mix them up, and then draw them at random so that you get an unbiased opinion as to what you're tasting. The results might surprise you. They certainly have surprised us (George T Stagg and Stagg Jr being one of the most shocking). We're out on the Buffalo Trace and Stagg Jr hype--it's just 8-10 year Kentucky barrel proof bourbon. There's a lot of that out there, and Buffalo Trace isn't doing anything special in our book. It might as well be Heinz vs Hunt's ketchup. To each their own. All the best.
The crazy thing is that in a double blind, without knowing ECBP and Stagg Jr were in either glass, half the people who think you’re crazy for preferring ECBP would prefer ECBP themselves. 😂 It’s wild what hype and bias will do to personal perceptions.
It definitely could and likely would, depending on the day. Rare Breed's beauty for us is its balance while still being full of flavor. That could definitely beat a couple of heavy-handed heavyweights for sure. Cheers Roy!
Can't say I've ever heard anyone describe Stagg Jr as "sour" and have such a negative reaction to drinking it. You sure Erin's glass wasn't contaminated? Maybe not fully rinsed from washing or something?
Could be an off day, or coming off the 1792, or any number of things
Josh here. I had the same thought so I checked during the tasting. We actually check all glens before ever pouring too just to be safe (we don’t ever want to shoot a whole video that ends up in the trash because we didn’t do our due diligence beforehand).
We included the bloopers of me smelling her glass too. No issues with glass contamination. Ours smelled identical.
She just consistently isn’t impressed with Stagg Jr, and she flat out dislikes Batch 17 specifically. My theory is that the way in which the fruit and oak mingle on the finish comes across as sour and off-putting to her.
Worth noting that we both also think that Buffalo Trace often has a sour tinge on the finish. It’s not something we find on all Buffalo Trace products all the time, but it’s definitely there on regular Buffalo Trace for us more often than not.
@@stuffandwhiskey Cheers to responding with a detailed report on this! Thanks
This. I get it from Mash Bill 1 sometimes too. It's why I'm not in love with base buffalo trace. Eagle Rare has enough of a grape note it kind of masks it or makes it feel at least like it fits in the sip... but BT every third time or so; I get that sour note and it just makes it less enjoyable.
Never gotten it from Stagg, but I've only had Stagg at a bar... Just would assume the proof would help cover it up. @@stuffandwhiskey
This is a strong commentary on how good, and overlooked, 1792 really is. 👍🏻🥃
Cheers to that, and thanks for watching!
I had Stagg Jr in a double blind, and it cured me of wanting to hunt for it.
Keep it up, you two. Best reviewers in the ‘verse!
PS: Particularly serendipitous in that I was enjoying my 1792 store pick bottled in bond as I sat down to see what y’all posted today lol (haven’t found full proof yet)
It's funny how fast blinds will cure FOMO, ain't it? Those 1792 BiB picks are one of our favorites by the way. Cheers Thomas!
I drank along with a pour from my bottle of 1792 full proof store pick and I agree with you guys on a few points. Bought mine for $50 and was totally worth it at that price. I would probably spend $60-$65 max for a bottle from the same store but only $50-55 from a store I've never bought from before. I got lucky with mine as it has great flavor and very viscous which I like. Thanks for the great content!
Cheers to that Trey! Thanks for watching!
This video definitely highlights difference in market availability for me. Theres two different stores i can go to this moment and grab a 1792 full proof store pick for $44.99. With stagg jr on the otherhand we experience the exact same secondary mark ups and rareness.
The Stagg Jr market has definitely gotten insane lately. Do you feel as though 1792 Full Proof can measure up as a reasonable barrel proof replacement?
@@stuffandwhiskey personally comparing to stagg jr batch 17 specifically id say yes, 1792 full proof pick is a easy replacement. I got a stagg jr batch 17 bottle 4mos. ago, had 2 pours and its been sitting ever since. 1792 full proof bottle I got way more recently is half gone.
I saw 2 different store picks pop up in my market for $60. Its still a buy for me at that price. I haven't seen a stagg jr in 2 years.
That's exactly what I paid 2 days ago for 1. In the area most stores sell the standard 1792 FP for $45, so was surprised when I found a pick from the most reputable store/group in the state for same price. Took a chance on it & it is great. Not hot at all like I hear so much about. Seems the FP has improved a lot in the last cpl yrs.
Great blind head to head, Josh and Erin! Love both 1792 FP and Stagg Jr when i can get them, and agree with Josh, the 1792 is a mood pour. Cheers!🥃
Thanks so much Richie! Cheers!
I recently picked up a 1792 Full Proof store pick but haven't cracked it open yet. Glad I got it for $55 now! They still had a good bit but I have been impressed with their other store picks so looking forward to it!
That’s awesome Chris! We’ve found that if you can find a store that picks with a consistent end goal in mind, and you find that you like some of their picks, it’s a good bet that you’ll like most of their picks. Cheers!
I have only had Stagg Jr at restaurants so I am not sure what batch they were (A Gulch burger joint used to have it for $15 a pour), but I loved it. One day I will find a bottle. Hopefully. Maybe. But probably not.
With all the hype, that’s how we feel about ever finding another bottle ourselves. It’s wild out there.
I've bought white pepper as well as other spices just to hone in on my whiskey notes, its a cool experiment. Love your dining room color scheme but any plans to create a "whiskey cave" back wall like every other channel?
Great question Jimi. No plans for that at all. No shade to any channel that does--they're cool for sure--but they're not our style. We’re content doing our own thing and always hope it feels like folks are sitting down at our island bartop with us and chatting about pours just like we’d do if we had you over for drinks.
so much fun to see these blind test comparisons and the differences in your real world scores. to each their own. thanks and cheers
Thanks OFW! As taste is so subjective, the fun and reactions are really what these videos are all about--they're just disguised as whiskey reviews. Glad you enjoyed. Cheers and thanks for watching!
@@stuffandwhiskey a reason to get to drink laugh and have fun. Always a good reason
1792 is a great pour at a great price. The best part is that you can actually find it on the shelf. I get to buy it at least once a year. On the other hand, in the last 2-3 years, I have not seen Stagg Jr on the shelf. I don't heavily hunt for allocated bourbon, but I do stop at least 2 times a week at different stores just in case, still no luck.
We feel your pain, Bender. Anything we get that's allocated is 100% due to store loyalty and frequent shopping. Luckily there are great, available bottles out there like 1792 Full Proof to offset some of the FOMO. Cheers and thanks for watching!
Always interesting to see how bottles fair when no one knows what they are. My favorite bottle in my cabinet is Stagg Batch 14, I dare say I prefer it over my 2020 GTS even. I haven't opened my Stagg B17 yet but this has me alittle nervous about it!
If you love Batch 14 then it's pretty safe to say you'll love Batch 17. While we're a house divided on Stagg Jr, we both agree that 17 is markedly better than 14. Cheers and thanks for watching Christopher!
Trust me, Batch 17 is great.
Just now, I cracked open the 1792 Full Proof. As I poured a dram, enticing aromas of brown sugar and pear wafted up from the glass, preparing my senses for what was to come. The initial sip revealed a symphony of flavors - the sweetness of brown sugar intertwining with the freshness of pear, complemented by hints of dark toasty almond. The texture was elegant on the palate, offering a smooth and refined experience. The finish was a lingering delight, with spicy oak notes dancing on my taste buds long after the sip was savored.
Great video as always! I haven't been able to find either bottle in Murfreesboro or Spring Hill so far. As for the 1792, I got a similar cherry cough syrup taste with Woodford DA which I hated. If the 1792 is even close to that I'll steer clear of it!
Cherry notes toe such a fine line between Luxardo cherry syrup for some (like Josh in this video) and cough syrup (like Erin in this video). Keep in mind that this is a single barrel pick as well, and other single barrels will differ. Most of the good shops in Murfreesboro and Spring Hill should have a taster open for you to try before you buy if you happen to run across a 1792 store pick. If you do run across one, give it a shot and let us know what you think!
Wow, I would love a sample of that 1792 FP pick. Sounds amazing to me!
Tune into the livestream this Sunday. 😉 Cheers and thanks for watching Andrew!
I have never had the opportunity to try Stagg, I recently found a 1792 Full Proof bottle for 50$. It is amazing. Sweet and Spicey. It's peppers 🌶 dipped in caramel. I love it.
Not gonna lie... I _always_ enjoy a unicorn (or semi-unicorn) bottle being shown some humility. The hype is just ridiculous. 🥃Cheers.
Thanks for watching! We love it ourselves, especially when it's double blind. Cheers!
This for me is a clear case of a higher proof being the first sip of the day, blowing the palate away for Erin and the face she made on the 2nd glass later makes me feel even stronger about that. I think they both are excellent tasters and reviewers but 2 high proof Bourbon’s might not be a good way to start your night off if doing reviews but of course the draw was blind so you have no control over it.
S&W are always a channel I reference when deciding on bottles or when I have questions about certain things I’m tasting/experiencing when I drink my whiskey.
Great head to head and I have both these bottles including a 1792fp Store Pick (bought around $40) although mine came from Texas. I have StaggJr (12, 15, & 17). For me I would place 17 just behind 12 which is amazing. I never got to try batch-9 which I’ve heard was also great. I must say I love both these bottles and I think I got a homerun on my 1792FP pick. Pretty much in Texas you won’t find StaggJr below $200
If I’m ever confused on the nose on something, I almost always reference Erin’s thoughts.
Josh here. Cheers and thanks so much for watching L J! It's worth noting that while the first part of your comment certainly seems plausible, Erin just consistently doesn't like Stagg Jr--blind or not. There's a sour note we both get on the very tail end of standard Buffalo Trace sometimes. She gets it on Stagg Jr as well, but it's amped up because of the proof. It's just not a product for her, which is fine by me because I enjoy Stagg Jr quite a lot, and I never have to worry about her mooching from me if I pour a glass. 😉
Catching up on older episodes I missed. I was able to recently find and buy a bottle of 1792 Full Proof. Had only seen the 1792 Small Batch, so when I found the Full Proof, I overpaid to get it. ($65). Would like to find the 1792 BIB and 12 Year. Love your blinds.
Thanks Dave! And you didn’t overpay too much. They range from $50-65 in our market as well with most stores in the $55-60 range. For the proof and price it’s not a bad value even at $65.
I had one pour of stagg Jr at a bar. And it wasn't terrible, but not my preference. Drank really hot. My 1792 store pick I'm in love with. One the first bottles I've gotten that prefer over rare breed. Sweet oak with just a little spice and a lingering maple finish. Super sweet, which I love. I got it for $50 at a store 2 hrs away while out of town on business. I'm kicking myself for not grabbing two now.
I had Stagg Jr as a pour at a restaurant for bout $13 I liked it but got a medicinal cherry taste to it which is only thing I didn't like bout it and I love Buffalo Trace products heck Eagle Rare is my fav bourbon🥃
That's a great price for a pour! Cherry is such a divisive tasting note for sure. If it leans medicinal it can get pretty offputting for sure.
I still dream about buying my first bottle of Stagg Jr but it’s comforting to know that I can be content with my $50 bottle of 1792 FP.
Cheers to that ISDP! We really hope this video highlights how two 7-10 year Kentucky barrel proof bourbons from major distillers aren't all that different in many ways. It really comes down to a flavor profile preference. In that sense, there are quite a few 120+ proof Kentucky bourbons available under $100 that measure up quite favorably to a lauded bottle like Stagg Jr in a blind (especially a double blind).
@@stuffandwhiskey Agreed 💯. I’ve only been lucky enough to try a sample of Stagg Jr from a good friend, and I remember it being great… but not worth anything near secondary. Just hoping I can get lucky one day. In the meantime, the more regularly available and fairly priced Rare Breeds, ECBPs, and Jack Daniel’s SBBPs are more than enough to put a smile on my face. Cheers!
Like this matchup. Blinds are the great equalizer!
Cheers to that Robert! That’s why we love them so much!
I guess I still need to open up my bottle of urine bourbon and see…I can’t unhear that note! Cheers, kids…I hope the weekend treats y’all well.
Urine bourbon!! 😂 There’s this oddly sour tinge we get on standard Buffalo Trace sometimes and it manifested itself here as well, except the proof of Stagg Jr exacerbated it. Wish we’d thought to mention that in the video.
Another great video. I am a self professed fomo Stagg pursuer. I have been lucky to get a few. Prices vary of course. When I drink one I am often less than impressed. I have JDSBBP bottles that are better. I appreciate Erin’s opinion. Stagg is good. But not $200 good. A local retailer I was bugging said to me “it’s just a bottle bud”. He was being a dick but in hindsight he was right. I have better bottles that cost less and are findable. Fight the fomo.
Cheers to that, Chris! We’re working on a video idea around that very comment. It’ll be a while before it’s out but it should be a good one. In our market Stagg Jr values and rarity are reaching into the realm where the only reasonable way to acquire one is to get a different bottle of something hard to find and trade locally for a Stagg Jr, and that’s a lot of work when there’s so much good available whiskey out there.
Great review again. One of my disappointments as a bourbon enthusiast is not being able to find a bottle of Stagg Jr for less than $200. I’ve never had it . Luckily, I can find 1792 FP. I really enjoy it.
We hear ya, CH! Here’s to hoping you run across a bottle near retail or find it at a bar with reasonable prices. It’s definitely worth trying. Cheers!
I've never been able to find one at msrp either. I do have a whiskey bar local to me that has some older batch 13's available for individual pours though which is how I've been able to try it. Batch 13 is amazing btw :)
@@red5standingby419 one of these days I’m bound to find it at a bar. I believe there is a batch coming out in June. It’s no longer called Jr. I’m going to hunt hard.
@@C_H_1972 relationships with local stores is the only way we've managed to get our hands on the batches we have. Not sure if that's a thing in your area but it's worth a shot.
@@stuffandwhiskey I have tried very hard to follow that common recommendation. Unfortunately, most of my local stores sell allocated bottles at secondary. It’s disheartening, but true. For example, I have a store nearby. I buy there regularly. He got some bottles of Weller 107. He’s asking $129. I tried talking him down to $100 and he wouldn’t budge. I had 2 regular bottles on the counter! That’s been my experience locally in the Chicago area. My best bet has been first come first serve large liquor stores. The problem is getting there on delivery days. If I’m off, I try going. I’ve had some luck with that. I think whiskey tube channels fair better with that strategy bc of the notoriety and volume of purchases. After 2 years of trying to befriend owners, I’m a little tired out. Anyhow, thank you for the discussion.
Great video guys 👏🏽
I like the outtakes team! Great show!
One of the best parts
Thanks King! This was a fun (and quite surprising) one to shoot. Cheers!
@@LeatherDaddy97 Brother Aidan, whats happening?! Havent seen you in a while!
@@big_goat oh im always around, whether you know it or not. Works just been nuts. Hope youve been well
@@LeatherDaddy97 same here!
If you can go to a whiskey bar get a pour of what you want to buy and taste it. Especially if it is getting into that 2 or 3 hundred dollar range then Definitely try first
S&W: " price is so good for a major distillery barrel proof offering"
Knob Creek 9 Single Barrel: "Am I a joke to you?"
😂😂 that and Rare Breed are the other two value winners but 1792FP does get to tout the proof crown at 125 over KC’s 120 and Rate Breed’s 116.8.
@@stuffandwhiskey Haven't tried 1792FP yet but it's on my list. Maybe I'll order off wooden cork if they have a fair price for it if I can't find it around here. Btw, love how responsive you guys are with your viewers, I'll have to check if I'm subscribed, I think I am, but if not, I will.
I was given about 1/3 bottle Stagg Jr and I've only had 1 pour from it, which I didn't even finish. All I could smell or taste was artificially-sweetened grape drink powder...
There's definitely a heavy grape note on Stagg Jr for a lot of folks and we could see that being off-putting. Cheers and thanks for watching Ceezer!
Well I'm happy 1792 Full Proof did so well. It is difficult to find at retail but not as difficult as Stagg Jr. In my area Stagg Jr if you can find it on a shelf is $100. Secondary is insane. So I'll have to make due with the Full Proof.
Thanks for watching Dean! The dirty little secret that often gets swept under the rug is that 7-10 year barrel proof Kentucky bourbon is 7-10 year barrel proof Kentucky bourbon, regardless of who make it. Of course there will be profile differences between distilleries just as there will be between batches of the same product from the same distillery. Full Proof is a great barrel proof pour and hardly a consolation prize in our eyes. Cheers!
I have three local store picks where i could get 1792FP each for $45. It’s an absolute no brainer buy
$45 for 7-8 year barrel proof Kentucky bourbon is the easiest decision ever. Cheers to that Chris!
Erin looks so upscale, like she came from big money. Then she’s so tight with a dollar, it’s funny to me. Love watching you two! Thanks for the honest review
Haha! Well thank you James. Luckily the blinds keep us honest, and we always try to stay down to earth. Glad you enjoy the content. Cheers and all the best!
Appreciate your perspective
We appreciate you tuning in! Cheers!
Good content, as usual.
I like Stagg and think BT could charge $100-$150 but I haven’t seen them in awhile less the $300 for me I’m out at that price.
STAGG Jr is not as good as I thought it would be. I guess it depends on the person. I use mine as the mixer bourbon. I like my 1792 full proof barrel pick much better.
That’s a great testament to personal palate preferences Mark. Cheers and thanks for watching!
Some poor bottler at Buffalo Trace is sweating bullets that Erin found out he peed in the Stagg Jr.
Also, Good on Erin, resisted the urge to pump up the channel subs by giving it 2 thumbs up for nose. No need to appeal to that crowd.
😂😂 that first half cracked us up! Cheers and thanks for watching!
I love these videos!
And we love you watching. Thanks for always watching and commenting Jim!
Josh are you sure you guys aren't professionals. I could've sworn I heard somewhere that you guys were professionals. I can't remember where tho 🤔!
I think I heard that, too. Like, several times. In succession.
@@Mosasour same I'm just drawing a blank on where 😆 🤣 😂
"We are not regular people." 😂
I'm in TN and I've seen exponentially more 1792 FP than Stagg Jr.
We hear ya there Rebecca. Stagg Jr is quite rare around here. Cheers and thanks for watching!
I like 1792 too.
Wow and info says this is a stag that didn't make cut which is why one wasn't released last year. So you would think it would be ever better than standard jr.
We’ve heard the same rumor, but to our knowledge that was never confirmed. Having blinded Batch 12-17 recently for fun, 17 was middle of the pack with 13 and 14 coming in below 17.
Love stagg 17 ...different strokes...
Definitely, Donna! We’re a house divided and differing opinions are one of our favorite things about whiskey. Cheers and thanks for watching!
I wonder if there was some soap residue in glass two idk lol
Josh here. Valid concern for sure.
For quality control purposes, all the glasses we use are given a sniff test prior to filming. If one of us gets something crazy in one glass while tasting then we use the other person’s glass to verify nothing was tainted. We don’t take ourselves too seriously but quality control is a biggie for us.
In retrospect, what Erin was getting on the finish of Stagg Jr is the same twinge we both get on the finish of standard Buffalo Trace from time to time. The proof of Stagg Jr just amplified it for her. Stagg Jr has never impressed her but Batch 17 is on its own level in that regard. I finished her glass after filming and it was great!
@@stuffandwhiskey Josh thank you so much the response huge supporter of this channel! I bought the B17 close to secondary yesterday and was a little worried lol 😆
@@jP-nw7nm for sure man. It's a tough pill to swallow paying secondary, at least for me, but I like Stagg Jr enough that I've considered it on my favorite batches. I haven't yet... but I'm not saying I won't ever. I'd just go in knowing I'm paying $100-120 for the whiskey inside and the rest for the rarity. Batch 17 has gotten mixed reviews but I think it's great, but we're definitely a house divided on this one. 😂
WHISKEY CHEERS 😎😎😎😎
Cheers Jay!
I wish I could find Stagg Jr for $100. I paid $300 just becuase I needed it in my collection. Sigh.... I need to move
Here's to hoping you find one for $60-100 one day. The only way we're able to get them at those prices is through loyal, long term relationships with our local store. We're not specifically hunting Stagg Jr, but if we were, we'd save a lot more money just buying at $300 than frequently shopping at our local store (but we'd miss out on a lot of great whiskey in the process--a lot of which we prefer to Stagg Jr). Cheers and thanks for watching HTG!
Is there a bourbon you guys like?
Plenty.
@@stuffandwhiskey never heard the nose of Stagg described as "urine"
@@jryan13864 Erin gets this combo of sour and acidic-like sharpness on this batch specifically, hence that note as it’s what it reminds her of, but enjoys pretty much every other batch to some degree (and a few she even loves). Most people won’t review things double blind either so most content is slanted toward what people think they should be getting and/or other inherent bias. Regardless of whether something is reviewed well or not, we always keep it real, because the blinds don’t lie.
Any stagg jr batch is worth at least $200. Sorry your palate can’t recognize that.
Haha! In rarity, you’re not wrong. In blind tastings? That’s debatable and highly specific to personal tastes. Grab a few dozen sample jars and do some blind tastings yourself. When you don’t know you’re drinking Stagg Jr it might surprise you. Cheers and thanks for watching!
@@paularmost8671 it was a 1792 single barrel, and single barrels vary of course.
If you want to be really surprised by what tasting notes you get and how things compare, grab a few dozen sample jars and some stickers, fill the jars up with all the barrel proof pours from your collection and label them on the bottom, mix them up, and then draw them at random so that you get an unbiased opinion as to what you're tasting. The results might surprise you. They certainly have surprised us (George T Stagg and Stagg Jr being one of the most shocking).
We're out on the Buffalo Trace and Stagg Jr hype--it's just 8-10 year Kentucky barrel proof bourbon. There's a lot of that out there, and Buffalo Trace isn't doing anything special in our book. It might as well be Heinz vs Hunt's ketchup. To each their own. All the best.
Haven't watched yet, but no way 1792 beats the Stagg! Unless we're talking availability 😅
You see, what had happened was… 😂
Have I ever had Stagg jr before?....seriously? You're a bourbon review channel. Much respect lost.
Not really sure we understand this comment, Casper. Care to clarify?
Urine smell????
Like a sharp acidity
Ive always preferred ecbp overall to stagg jr. Most people think thats crazy but i stand by it
The crazy thing is that in a double blind, without knowing ECBP and Stagg Jr were in either glass, half the people who think you’re crazy for preferring ECBP would prefer ECBP themselves. 😂 It’s wild what hype and bias will do to personal perceptions.
I'm with you on C920
@@BrianKusko i know youre a big stagg jr fan
Yes agreed.....I have since come to realize how great Rare Breed is and it would beat all these guys.....Am I right?
It definitely could and likely would, depending on the day. Rare Breed's beauty for us is its balance while still being full of flavor. That could definitely beat a couple of heavy-handed heavyweights for sure. Cheers Roy!