George T. Stagg
$70+, 70.7%, Bourbon, Kentucky, Rating: 9
From the Buffalo Trace Distillery comes one of the finest crafted bourbons to grace my palate. This isn’t my first barrel proof whiskey, and I have known from experience that they can be a little rough on the tongue. Not George T. Stagg, my friends. This bourbon has a full body, and the thick coating that engulfs the mouth is smooth and rich. The aroma from uncorking the bottle is also another delightful surprise. It has a balance of sweet from the corn, and spice from what presumably is rye and barely. One new note of smell for me was that of brewed tea, with very little alcohol nose burn. Another sensory pleasure is its nearly opaque dark amber color. Even held directly to a light it has a similar color to maple syrup.
Straight
The alcohol burn on the tongue in medium, but toned down by the full body of the bourbon. This has a perfectly balanced tone with earthy and sweet flavors. Where most bourbons would have a pronounced smokey or vanilla flavor, this one does not. The finish is thick and long lasting. This is a very savory bourbon that is one of my new all time favorites for drinking straight.Mixed
Mixed with Diet Coke it loses all of its balance, though not unenjoyable. Where I normally would suggest a bourbon as complex as this one for being great in a manhattan, or whiskey sour, I will have to say that the only thing you should mix in with this fine bourbon is an ice cube.