Stagg Jr Batch 25C Bourbon Review: Which 2025 Batches Are Worth Hunting?
- Nick Anderson
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
“The wise are instructed by reason,
average minds by experience,
the stupid by necessity,
and the brute by instinct.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
If you are on the hunt for Stagg this year, you have come to the right place. I have had the good fortune of trying most of the existing Stagg Jr. releases through the years and regularly recalibrate my ratings against previous batches. You'll find my full power ranking at the Stagg Hub, your one-stop shop for all things Stagg Jr. and George T. Stagg. It has all the proofs, the rankings, the history, and more. It is through this lens that I am ready to examine the 3rd batch that was released at a strangely quick pace in the winter of 2025.
2025 Batches by Proof/ABV
25A: 126.5° / 63.25%
25B: 126.9° / 63.45%
25C: 125.6° / 62.8%
25D: 129.2° / 64.6%
As I wrote in my review of batch 25D, I think Buffalo Trace needs to slow down on the release pace and hone back in on quality. I would much prefer to see two releases that knock my socks off than have to spend so much time informing folks which batches are worth scooping versus leaving on the shelf. Part of why I decided to go so deep on reviewing Stagg Jr. batches was because I was the guy standing in a liquor store back in 2018, staring at 5 different proofs without any sense of what the differences between them would be. I had no clue which ones were good or if any of them were worth haggling over. I am glad I took that risk back in the day, and I hope this review puts you in a more informed position than I found myself in back then.
Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
Whiskey Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace mash bill # 1 (high corn, low rye, and malted barley)
Proof: 125.6°
Age: NAS (though rumored to typically be around 8 years old)
Buy online: Frootbat
Further identification: This is the 25C batch of Stagg bourbon, which arrived in winter 2025
Nose: As I get into my first smell of the glass, I find a wave of traditional bourbon caramel that runs right down the middle. Black pepper and allspice swing in gentle spice before a wave of decaying fall leaves takes over the experience. Long inhales are a bit metallic but settle into small pops of vanilla and caramel. I can't say I'm too excited yet nosing through, as the simple aromas come across a bit synthetic. After a long rest, things settle into a comfortable territory that is just simple, classic Buffalo Trace bourbon ramped up to a comfortable proof. Light toffee and candy wrapper aromas fill my nostrils late in the glass. The empty glass smells like graham crackers and vanilla Tootsie Rolls.
Palate: Putting glass to lips I find the black pepper and allspice the nose was touting, as well as the big sploosh of caramel that falls over the entire tongue in a scrawny, thin mouthfeel. Sampling again is a carbon copy of the first, a rather one-note caramel experience. Dutifully plumbing the depths reveals a bit of anise and burnt pancake scraps before a metallic linger takes over. For a seasoned Stagg Man, this is pretty disappointing overall, but if this was your first-ever Stagg batch, I don't think you would notice as much. Light raspberry tones start to ramp up late in the pour but fail to materialize in a meaningful way. As I continue to work through this pour, I find myself easily distracted with things other than the whiskey as it fails to capture my attention. My last sip is mundane yet enjoyable, with more vanilla tones proliferating on a medium-length finish.
TL;DR: Crowd-pleasing, airy bourbon that doesn't quite suck
Rating: 3/5
With 25D firmly in the dud category, 25C manages to elevate the experience quite a bit. While it doesn't soar as high as some other batches I have reviewed, if you can find this at MSRP, I am sure it'll be a crushable bottle for you and your friends to enjoy. If you find this style of honest review appealing, consider subscribing to my once-monthly newsletter, where I give the inside scoop on what whiskeys are worth hunting. Cheers!
