George T Stagg Bot.2013

George T Stagg

The 2013 release of the much-lauded George T Stagg. Many of the barrels selected for this year’s release were from the lower floors of the warehouse, hence the lower than usual strength of ‘only’ 64.1%. This is still unmistakably Stagg, though – incredibly bold and intense.

George T Stagg Bot.2013 could be hit or miss in my experience, let’s see what our German friends have found.

Colour: Dark gold wine. Amazingly light colour at 35yo. Nose: well, this smells like a somewhat ‘neutral’ old malt that spent a lot of years in refill wood. Sounds terrible? It’s not because unlike what very aromatic malts or very active casks can produce after many years, that is to say something that’s clearly over the top (or over the hill), this baby is very subtle – but not weak at all – and sometimes only whispers, which can be very enjoyable. In other words, it’s an anti-wham-bam-in-you-face malt whisky.

It starts on delicate honey and only touches of vanilla, then there’s a little beeswax and bitter oranges, and finally a whole range of herbs and flowers, both dried and fresh. Chamomile, mint, earl grey tea, juniper, linden tree… George T Stagg Bot.2013

And funny hints of chardonnay. Fortified Chablis? Mouth: it’s certainly punchier and ‘bigger’ than on the nose, and fruitier as well, but it’s still no Hulk. Fine citrusy notes, pink grapefruits, tangerines, a little pepper, touches of lime… Drops a bit after that, the middle is a tad ‘absent’. Finish: fairly short, with ‘lemony reminiscences’ and some green tea. Comments: it’s an interesting dram, at times excellent and rather full and at times a tad, well, absent-minded in my opinion. Lace? Reminds me of Alice Cooper’s ‘Lace and Whiskey