Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 25B Review—A Journey Through Flavor
- Nick Anderson
- 4h
- 4 min read
“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.”
– Anatole France
What do you do when one of your favorite local liquor stores has a bottle of Stagg Junior hiding in plain sight? First, you confirm it's available for sale at a reasonable price, and then you pop it with the folks at the shop, of course! That's exactly what I did with my friends over at Curtis Liquors in Weymouth, MA when I found this batch 25B hiding in the lockup case. With the foil peeled and cork popped, we were delighted with our first pour from a new batch, especially after how good batch 25A was. Whiskey always tastes better when you share it with good people. Since then, I've been dutifully working through this bottle, with a little help from my friends, of course.
I was excited to get into 25B again, thinking it was going to be the great finale of 2025, until I heard news of new batches showing up again. Like 2024, it seems we were fated to have four releases. Batches 25C and 25D started to hit shelves at nuanced proofs, something I have tracked over time in my Stagg Hub article—well worth a bookmark if you haven't already. Of course I have since hunted those down and had all four on hand to compare and contrast. I'll give you my power rankings for 2025 down below, but you'll have to check out that Stagg Hub link to see how they feather into the broader release landscape.
Company on Label: Distilled, aged, & bottled by 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: 126.9°
Age: NAS (though rumored to typically be around 8 years old)
Buy online: Frootbat
Further identification: This is the 25B batch of Stagg bourbon, which arrived in winter 2025
Nose: Oh yes... immediately I find a classic Stagg bourbon nose in this glass. With a widening smile, I pick up caramel apple and sweet rickhouse funk aromas. This is well balanced overall, allowing me to get my nose as far into the glencairn as I care to search, which is all the way, naturally. Level oak is pervasive and tells a tale of age and wisdom. Hints of fresh topsoil come to mind on long inhales. Floral characteristics build in neat little surprises along the way before ebbing away, revealing incredible sweet fruit. Nosing further, strawberry puree and orange creamsicle aromas tantalize and excite. This is a really fun pour so far. After a sip, the nose only gets better as more of those strawberry tones come in, bolstered by new sweetness that reminds me of fruit punch. Layer in the complexity of an underlying scent of root beer, and you've got a beautiful depth of aroma here. Late in the glass, the slow takeover of floral tones begins again, a wonderful evolution that continues to have staying power in this glass. The core characteristic continues to be a beautiful vanilla profile. The empty glass smells of waffles and light macadamia nuts.
Palate: On the tongue, ubiquitous sweetness from distinguished strawberry cake lands just right with a little bit of a kick at the end that reminds you this is barrel proof bourbon and not actually dessert. It's an exciting, rambunctious pour right from the get-go. Another sip is easier than the first, oozing orange marmalade before finishing with a tingling mouthfeel that feels like sucking down an ice-cold root beer float. The linger is quite solid, but not quite dialed up to maximum potential as light cola and indistinct breadiness fade to black. Subsequent sips reveal a continual array of balance and flavor, everything one should expect out of a well-made barrel proof bourbon. I'm finding loads of vanilla tones now, the back end of that orange creamsicle from the nose, but just lacking a little bit of that creaminess translating into the mouthfeel. Chewing a little further shows off that sweet fruit punch character, coming across more like Sweet Tarts now. I find myself taking small sips to savor this one fully, because it is hitting quite a few great notes right now. I am quite pleased as the orange creamsicle character returns with beautiful vengeance. My last sip is a complete treat as the simple vanilla profile reigns proud in its consistency. The finish is low and brooding but rumbles on quite long with nothing off, just a wave of candy sweetness as far as the mind can see.
TL;DR: Batch 25B shows out strong with consistent core flavors and a little flair
Rating: 4/5
With how approachable this pour is and the flavors being on a range that I think folks will enjoy, 25B is definitely a beautiful batch worth hunting down if you can find it. If you like my long-form tasting notes, no-nonsense rating scale, or thorough tasting process, consider subscribing to my once-monthly newsletter so you don't miss out on the next best bourbon! Since I now have reviews done of all the 2025 batches, here is my power ranking:
A neat little descent into madness, isn't it?
