We very clearly identified this as the better whiskey when compared blindly to Elijah Craig Barrel Proof That said, I do think it delivers an exceptional experience for someone with a refined palate. Rating: 5/5 ( Just wow. One of my favorites. ) This is a damn fine release from Heaven Hill. and enjoying it in good company, but I'm not going to give this one a " Keep Amongst the Whiskey " rating

After a sip, walnut and almond tones become stronger, though the dominant character remains trending TL;DR: A majestic performance from Stagg, delivering infinite complexity in perfect harmony Rating:  

I thought I had this one well characterized before that box of chocolate surprise. TL;DR: Dark, silky red fruit tones all throughout for fans of red wine Rating: 3/5 (Decent. No, that definitely has a different base character.

- Delicate fruit and rye OBSK - Rye and baking spice OBSO - Rich fruit OBSQ - Rye and light floral character and caramel OESK - Baking spice OESO - Rich fruit and vanilla OESQ - Delicate grains and light floral character Exceptional level oak. Simple, yet potent and lovely. Brown sugar, butter and candied walnuts boast exceptional complexity. Ultimately the classic bourbon profile, exceptional quality, crazy nostalgia and gorgeous finish puts

The barrel funk cannot be understated here, as it really feels like the defining character of the glass TL;DR: An oddly tame batch that falls somewhere in the middle of the Stagg quality scale Rating:  3.5

Dark cherry skin presents very light and needs to be pulled out quickly and aggressively. Deep inhales characterize the overall feel of this glass to be very caramel and spice forward. I think it definitely drinks above it's age, at least to the 4 year mark, which is usually very hard Rating: 4/5 Color me impressed on this one!

Company on Label: Willett Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 79% Corn, 7% Rye, 14% Malted Barley Soft hints of cherry are there but barely perceptible. It comes off very bright without any of the nose-sting that usually comes with spices. I am willing to look past a very lackluster nosing experience because of how good the palate was. I found a really interesting read about the smell of warships if you'd care to hear a much better story

This glass is very much a buck from the norm of bourbon sweetness & it has taken on a lot of interesting has opened up some to softer notes of dusty barrel boogers (IYKYK), flan, and classic hallmarks of exceptional Rating: This one's a winner!

As our Fort Hamilton Single Barrel NY Rye comes of age, with batch 14 released this year at 5 years old my nose to the glass after a sip reveals a slightly savory, slightly medicinal undercurrent that is barely TL;DR: This was not good neat; perhaps it could find use in a smooth cocktail Rating: 2/5 (Not good..

bottle for free in my reviews, as well as when there is a paid partnership involved, which is incredibly rare TL;DR: Big, bold, beautiful flavors like Stagg has been known for for over a decade Rating: 4/5 Really

Barely legal ryes can certainly be hit or miss for me. Elijah Craig (Heaven Hill) Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 35% Corn, 51% Rye, 14% Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) My review purely rates the neat pour.

I'm taking some time this season to highlight a few of the stores I have visited who I think do exceptional I also thought this was a good medium because of its lower proof; this serves as a level playing field Rating: 4/5 (Really good. I want one of these on my shelf.)