Stagg 25B Review
I waited until nearly the end of the year in 2025 to get the first bottle of Stagg for the year. Batch 25A finally reached my local stores in Washington state in October. And then in December batches 25B and 25C hit my store on the same day?! I assume that the long delay (they usually release one in the spring) is due to the fallout from the historic devastating flood at Buffalo Trace in 2025. I wasn’t a big fan of batch 25A and I’m hoping that Stagg 25B is better. If you have this batch, grab a pour to sip while I work through this Stagg 25B review. And be sure to let me know your thoughts on this batch in the comment section.
Series: Formerly Stagg Jr, now simply Stagg 25B is #29.
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: NAS (aged at least 4 years per regulations, but rumored to be 7-9 years old)
Proof: 126.9
Proof Designation: Barrel Proof
Filtered Status: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash bill: Buffalo Trace Mash #1, undisclosed but speculated to be 82% Corn, 8% Rye, 10% Barley
Still Type: Column Still then Pot Still
Char Level: 4
Entry Proof: 125
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Company: Sazerac Company
Distilled/Aging Location: Frankfort, Kentucky
Master Distiller: Harlen Wheatley
Release Date: Fall, 2025
MSRP: $70 (2025)
Secondary Market: $150 – $250
Availability: Low/Rare – Hard to Find
Stagg Jr 25B Review
January 19, 2026
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
For this tasting: Opened Bottle (about 1 week), Glencairn Glass, Neat, Room Temp, Breathe: 5 minutes
Legs
Beads formed on the crown at about 12 seconds, the first legs began to fall at 37 seconds, and the first legs reached the bowl at about 72 seconds.
Nose
Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, custard, cream soda, light barrel char, and something reminiscent of Milk Duds.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Amongst the Whiskey: I find a classic Stagg bourbon nose in this glass…caramel apple and sweet rickhouse funk aromas. This is well balanced overall. Level oak is pervasive… 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.
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.
Bourbon Kingdom: It smells like a Stagg. I love the nose on this. A little apple, a little bit of cherry, a little ethanol punch. I love the apple note on this because it reminds me of old school Stagg.
Brad’s Bourbon Reviews: Some brown sugars, some chocolate notes, a little bit of oak. I like where we’re going. The brown sugar note is deep and rich and there’s some vanilla in there as well. I’m looking for some cherry. I’d like to see a little bit of a cherry note. There’s a little maple note and a little sweet pipe tobacco.
Palate
Caramel, vanilla, baking spice, cinnamon, mild cherry, some fig, a hint of orange peel, leather, barrel char, oak, and something mildly bitter…perhaps oak tannins.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Amongst the Whiskey: 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. 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.
Rating: 4/5
Bourbon Kingdom: It tastes like a Stagg, which is nice and refreshing because we have not been huge fans of a lot of the Staggs recently. Its not the best Stagg in the world, but its really good. It has a nice punch on the front. A little bit of a leather note. Some green apple and cinnamon. It has very much kind of a fall kind of vibe to it.
Brad’s Bourbon Reviews: First impression, the mouth feel is fantastic and it is very flavorful. The brown sugar and oak carry over. It’s really oaky, but in a good way. It’s a sweet oak, not a harsh or astringent oak. I get a little bit of a coffee note. It is a little hotter on the palate than it is on the nose. The maple note carries over.First impression, the mouth feel is fantastic and it is very flavorful. The brown sugar and oak carry over. It’s really oaky, but in a good way. It’s a sweet oak, not a harsh or astringent oak. I get a little bit of a coffee note. It is a little hotter on the palate than it is on the nose. The maple note carries over.
It’s good. It’s not the best batch I’ve ever had, but it’s to the high-middle. It’s not incredible but I think it’s good.
Score: 7.9
Finish
Medium finish with caramel, vanilla, baking spices, oak and hints of leather.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Amongst the Whiskey: 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.
Bourbon Kingdom: It has a really good finish. Not the longest finish, but a very solid, decent finish. A ton of spice, great oak on the back end along with a drying note that I love. It holds that sweetness after you get that punch on the front.
Brad’s Bourbon Reviews: My only complaint is the finish falls off a cliff.
Mouthfeel
The mouthfeel is Silken and pleasant.
Mouthfeel Rating Guide: Thin = Watery | Silken = smooth & slippery, but not mouth coating | Creamy = coats the tongue like heavy cream does. | Rich or Unctuous = coats the entire palate like quality olive oil
Tasting Summary
Sweet notes hit the palate first with caramel, brown sugar and vanilla, followed by baking spices and oak. The flavors are potent but simple, lacking in complexity. Although there is some fruit in the form of mild cherry, a hint of orange and some fig, I have to search for it to find it.
The Burn
The alcohol burn is Average. This means that the burn from the alcohol is about what I would expect it to be. In my opinion, a standout bourbon drinks below it’s proof. I would guess this to be around 125 proof.
The Burn Rating Guide:
Very Low = it drinks like it is a much lower proof
Low = it drinks like it is a little lower proof
Average = the heat is about what I would expect
Hot = it is hotter than what I would expect
Scorching! = it drinks much hotter than what I would expect
My Rating – 8.3
The higher the score the better the whiskey is in my opinion. For reference, my best rated bottle so far is the George T. Stagg 2022 (138.7p) with a score of 9.7.
| Score Type | Score | Examples |
| Likability Score | 8.3 | 1.0 – 10.0 |
My Tasting Notes
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