Here we are again with another George T. Stagg review. My favorite release in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection was at it again in 2018 with yet another (relatively speaking) lower proof release for a bourbon that’s known to be “in your face” and pulls no punches. With that said, you can typically expect to find consistency with this release despite varied proof from year to year.
George T. Stagg 2018 was distilled in 2003 and aged for 15 years and 4 months before being bottled at 124.9 proof. This release is comprised of 284 barrels which is a significant increase from even five years ago in an attempt to meet demand. As usual, for all the tech specs you could ever want to know, check out the official document straight from Buffalo Trace.
I tried this back to back to back with William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy at the Oak Haven tasting which made it easy to compare the three 2018 BTAC barrel proofers. How did GTS stack up?
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Dark copper |
| Nose | Cherries, tobacco, new leather, cinnamon, prunes. |
| Taste | Black cherrybomb, dried fruits, smarties candy, slightly astringent oak, caramel. |
| Finish | cherries like whoa, cigar box, old leather couches, hint of red delicious apple, surprisingly drying. |
| Overall Thoughts | Stagg is nothing but consistent and this year is no exception as this is as fantastic as always. It's the same basic flavor profile as always but those notes are always a winner. Congrats to Buffalo Trace. They did it again this year. |
| Total Score | 94/100 |
