George T Stagg Bot.2015

George T Stagg

• Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

75cl / 69.1%

The 2015 edition of the whiskey often seen as the pinnacle of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – George T Stagg. Bottled at 69.1%, this is packed full of intense flavour but isn’t for the faint-hearted.

I think it’s the first time I try a reduced version of Kornog. Usually, reducing brings out more fruitiness in my opinion, let’s see… Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s interesting, earlier versions at cask strength did make me think of Ardbeg, but this one goes more towards a peatier young HP. It is extremely clean, extremely fresh, very elegant and surprisingly complex at such young age. I like these notes of almond oil, cider apples, fresh pineapples, these touches of passion fruits (if that grows bigger with age, it’s super-good news!), these hints of celery and fennel and the very mild honey that coats the whole. George T Stagg Bot.2015

The phenolic and coastal notes appear only after a little while, making me think of some fresh smoked oysters (which is technically impossible, isn’ it?) Also quite some spearmint. Mouth: once again, this is very fresh, and certainly peatier than in the nose. Herbs, mint, verbena, cough lozenges, liquorice, touches of pineapple drops in the background (youth!), some tangerine liqueur, a little cardamom, fresh coriander… It’s quite amazing how it got already quite complex. The peatiness gives it a perfect albeit middleweight structure, with always a lot of freshness. Finish: medium long but still very clean. Sweet apples (goldens) and lemon. Is that a little salt in the aftertaste? Comments: still a young one with these notes of pineapples or even fresh apples but the malt’s future complexity is already showing up. Sweet peat and fruity freshness. Very sexy, actually.