Top 7 Afterparty & Late Night Bottles: The Artist Formerly Known As Stagg Jr.

After two monstrous bottles from Caledonia, we return to this side of The Pond for our next entrant.

By far, this will be one of the two bottles on this list that stretch my notion of what is vaguely available to folks. But, availability issues and hype aside, I’d hold myself in error if I didn’t put Stagg Jr. on this roster. While a Batch 13 is pictured here, I think any Stagg Jr. from Batch 10 onwards will more than get ya there.

This is the perfect bourbon. At turns sweet, moody, fiery, and always unhurried, this is what Kentucky would send to the rest of the world to say “On a good day, this is what we can make. This bottle is Kentucky Bourbon, in its purest conceptualization. And secondary market nonsense aside, we price it at 55 American dollars so even the common man might enjoy it. But we would stack it up against anything you can distill.”

This is such a power move, and thrill, to casually pull out from the dark corner of the bar cabinet in the company of a good friend or three. I actually only drink this bottle when someone else is here to also enjoy it. It’s as close as Kentuckians get to communion wine. And what you’re in for is a tidal wave of oak, dark cherry, and molasses, although Batch 13 boasts toasted pecans to spare top. But it’s the length and the finish that makes this an ultimate nightcap. Make sure you’re in pleasant company, I’ve never had a pour last less than 80 minutes.

Conclusion: If a piece of coal ain’t Kentucky’s drug of choice, then this is.

Image courtesy of Jon who also writes on Low Class & High Proof.

Low Class & High Proof

I learned how to make cocktails watching Danger 5