Stagg is the uncut, unfiltered barrel-proof bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery, released in batches at whatever strength it comes out of the barrel often north of 130 proof. Built on the distillery’s low-rye mash bill and aged around eight to nine years, it is bottled without chill filtration, so nothing is stripped from the texture. Expect a dense, chewy pour: dark chocolate, brown sugar, and cherry up front, then espresso, char, and baking spice that the high proof drives deep into a long, warming finish. This is a hazmat-adjacent whiskey that rewards a few drops of water. It moves fast when it lands on shelves, so drink it neat and slow, opening it up to taste as the proof settles.