Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch 26C 124.6 Proof

Product Description

Stagg Batch 26C Bourbon: Uncut, Unfiltered, 124.6 Proof from Buffalo Trace

Stagg is Buffalo Trace’s barrel-proof bourbon, and Batch 26C is one of its biggest releases of the year. It’s bottled at 124.6 proof (62.3% ABV), straight from the barrel with no water added and no filtering. Buffalo Trace calls Stagg uncut, unapologetic, and aged in charred white oak barrels for eight years. It’s the bourbon for people who want a full, thick, high-proof pour and the concentrated flavor that comes with it.

Stagg was long known as Stagg Jr., the batched, more accessible sibling of the annual George T. Stagg release from the Antique Collection. The “Jr.” has been dropped from the label, but it’s the same line, made at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. This is the third batch released under the 2026 code.

Why Every Batch Has a Different Proof

Stagg is never cut with water, so its proof comes entirely from the barrels selected for each batch and how much they concentrated through evaporation in their warehouse positions. That’s why you’ll see Stagg batches from about 124 up to the high 120s and beyond. Batch 26C landed at 124.6 proof, one of the lower proofs in recent years, which many drinkers find easier to approach than the hottest batches.

How Stagg Is Made

Stagg is made from Buffalo Trace’s low-rye Mash Bill #1, the same recipe behind Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace Bourbon. It’s aged around eight years (retailers list 8 to 9) in new charred American white oak, then bottled uncut and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes

Notes combine the brand’s profile and critic and retailer descriptions for Batch 26C.

Brand profile: Chocolate, brown sugar, cherry, and clove.

Nose: Cooked cherries and cherry pie filling over charred oak, with brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and cocoa.

Palate: Full-bodied and syrupy, with rich molasses, bitter chocolate, and dark fruit, then barrel-proof heat with clove, black pepper, leather, and tobacco.

Finish: Exceptionally long and warming, with earthy spice, toasted oak, and lingering dark fruit.

Food Pairings

A bourbon this big pairs with big flavors: dark chocolate, aged cheddar, smoked brisket, ribeye, and bacon. It also goes with pecan pie, bourbon cherries, and a good cigar.

Serving Suggestions

At 124.6 proof, Stagg is made for slow sipping. Pour a small measure neat, and try it again with a few drops of water or one large ice cube, which opens up the fruit, caramel, and spice and tames the heat. It isn’t a mixing bourbon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What proof is Stagg Batch 26C? 124.6 proof (62.3% ABV).

What happened to Stagg Jr.? It’s the same line. Buffalo Trace dropped “Jr.” from the label.

How old is it? The brand says Stagg is aged eight years, and retailers list this batch at 8 to 9 years.

Is it chill filtered? No. It’s uncut and unfiltered.

Why does the proof change each batch? Stagg is bottled at natural barrel proof, so each batch’s proof depends on the barrels.

What mash bill does it use? Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1, a low-rye recipe.

Is it the same as George T. Stagg? No. George T. Stagg is the older, rarer annual Antique Collection release.

Is it hard to find? Yes. Allocation is limited, and bottles sell quickly.

Explore More

Looking for more from Buffalo Trace? Shop the full Buffalo Trace collection for barrel picks and more, or browse our Bourbon collection for more high-proof Kentucky bourbons.

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