Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 24D Review—Are We in an Era of Quantity over Quality?

There are four batches of Stagg Junior that were released for 2024. I thought it was a joke, a meme, or possibly even a scam when I first saw the "24D" label show up on the internet. After careful diligence, I discovered it was actually legit.

Will we see 5 batches in 2025? I hope not. As the resident Stagg man, I'd have my hands (and my palate) quite full with such an endeavor. Invariably, with change comes questions. Does 4 batches mean there will be significantly higher distribution? Can Buffalo Trace fans actually expect to find this one on the shelf now? Will the team be able to uphold the same level of quality they have achieved with previous batches back when the cadence was two per year? Questions like these certainly deserve answers, and sometimes you just have to taste to seek them out. That's what I've done for you, my dear reader, so let's dive in!

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Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Whiskey Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (high corn, low rye, malted barley)

Proof: 127.4°

Age: NAS (rumored to be around ~8 years old)

MSRP: $70

Further identification: The fourth surprise release of Stagg Jr for the 2024 calendar year is batch 24D

Buy Stagg bourbon

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Nose: Upon first lifting the glass to my nose, I find a dry candy sweetness, something like sneaking a box of Mike and Ike into a movie theater. Another inhale offers that same profile of sugary sweetness with a slight addition of dried pear and a bit of apple skin. It's bright, eye-watering, and unbearably proofy in the nose as deep inhales lean into an odd lemon Pledge smell, transporting me to a recently cleaned bathroom. This is an odd one already... Further inhales produce a nice brown sugar aroma that pairs nicely with the smell of a warm cinnamon raisin bagel slathered with butter. Further deep dives smell like the warm air above a heavily chlorinated indoor pool—reminding me of an old YMCA I used to go to as a kid, a place I hadn't thought about in quite some time.

After a few sips, there is a really distinct cinnamon characteristic that borders on the potency of an amburana finish. Late in the glass is funky, like good old bourbon from deep in the rick house tends to be, but I can't quite say I'm too thrilled with the overall nosing experience. The empty glass smells like sweet tarts and a warm baked cherry pie.

Palate: My first sip is potent, landing something like a big plate of Mexican food: refried beans, rice, and chicken taquitos come across surprisingly savory. Another sip is more classically bourbon: vanilla hits the tongue first before spreading into cinnamon and nutmeg tones. Everything about this is surprisingly light in flavor, yet potent on the ethanol, which is contradictory to the quality of great old Stagg Junior batches I am used to. Normally these are massive on the flavor knob and quite easy to pick apart for notes, but this glass is being quite shy. Later in the experience, I find a simple cherry note that feels obvious to mention but is really the only reportable impression I can find. The linger is quite smoldering at times, as classic flavors you can find in just about any Kentucky straight bourbon tumble across the tongue. Your vanilla, cherry, and caramel tones are here in descending order of intensity. My last sip offers clove, cinnamon, and brown sugar. The glass finishes with a sticky tingle in the gums of simple syrup, mint, and cherry hots.

TL;DR: Another quotidian, mid-tier release that fails to live up to past successes

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Rating: 3/5

(Middle of the road whiskey. An average showing.)

This is another quite drinkable release from Buffalo Trace, but the light color and light flavor have me wondering what is going on in the quality control department. There's really nothing impressive about it; no eyebrows raised, no darting glances to confirm the reality of the present sipping situation, just an okay bourbon in my glass. I always review neat pours of whiskey out of a glencairn glass, but I'm always interested to see new innovations for cocktails and beyond as well. I'm curious to hear, what are some of your favorite whiskey glasses to drink out of?

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WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON

With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com, and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

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