The name George T. Stagg resonates with reverence among bourbon lovers and graces some of the most highly regarded whiskies on the market. An important figure in the history of American whiskey, Stagg's entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to quality transformed a modest distillery into a powerhouse. His legacy is indelibly linked to what is now known as Buffalo Trace Distillery, a site whose history is intertwined with the careers of other pivotal figures in bourbon lore, including Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr., Albert Blanton, and Elmer T. Lee.
George T. Stagg
The Early Life Of George T. Stagg
The Stagg family were Dutch immigrants who settled in the Province of New Jersey during the Colonial Era. Several of George T. Stagg’s forebears fought in the American Revolutionary War, including his great-grandfather. The family would move to Kentucky, where George was born on December 19, 1835, before relocating to Missouri when he was a child. Stagg returned to Kentucky as a young man, where he would marry, start a family, and work as a travelling salesman, selling shoes and other goods.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Stagg enlisted in the Union Army and served in the 21st Kentucky Infantry Regiment. He saw extensive combat in several notable battles, rising through the ranks from enlisted soldier to first lieutenant and ultimately Captain, according to Buffalo Trace Distillery. Following the war, he moved his family to St. Louis, Missouri, where he partnered with local businessman James Gregory to form "Gregory & Stagg, Commercial Merchants & Distillers' Agents." Stagg began to buy and sell whiskey around the country, forging relationships within Kentucky’s burgeoning bourbon industry.
George T. Stagg, E.H. Taylor Jr., and the O.F.C. Distillery
Among Stagg’s Kentucky business associates was Colonel Edward Hughes "E. H." Taylor Jr. A renowned distiller of his era, Taylor was instrumental in championing the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which set a new standard for purity and transparency in American whiskey making. Their brief partnership was complex and combustible but its ripples are still felt today.
Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr.
In the mid-1870s, Taylor owed a substantial fortune to Gregory & Stagg. Seeing an opportunity, the firm settled Taylor’s debt in exchange for a controlling interest in his two distilleries in Frankfort, Kentucky. These included the Old Fire Copper (O.F.C.) Distillery, which is today the site of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, and the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, now known as the Woodford Reserve Distillery, which Stagg quickly sold off.
The two men formed a powerful but uneasy alliance, as their business practices and personalities soon clashed. Taylor eventually sold his remaining interest in their shared businesses in exchange for another distillery owned by Stagg, developing it into the Old Taylor Distillery, which today is the site of the Castle & Key Distillery. Stagg soldiered on, turning the O.F.C. Distillery into the most advanced whiskey making facility of its time.
Under George T. Stagg's leadership, the O.F.C. Distillery was significantly overhauled. Stagg oversaw the building of climate-controlled warehouses, a then revolutionary concept, which allowed for more consistent aging. He invested in state-of-the-art equipment, solidifying the distillery's reputation for quality and efficiency. In 1890, the distillery was proclaimed “ne plus ultra of its class”, in other words, the best of the best, according to Buffalo Trace.
Despite Stagg's many achievements, fate was not on his side. Overburdened by his workload and the tumultuous economy of the late 19th century, his health began to falter. George T. Stagg died in 1893 at the age of 58. 10 years later, the O.F.C. Distillery would be renamed the George T. Stagg Distillery in his honor.
The Enduring Legacy Of The George T. Stagg Distillery
In the spirit of its namesake, the George T. Stagg Distillery would become a launchpad for some of the most important figures in bourbon history. Albert B. Blanton, for whom the pioneering single-barrel Blanton's bourbon is named, grew up down the road from the distillery and began working there in 1897 at the age of 16. He would work his way up through the company, becoming president of the distillery in 1921. His dedication to quality and innovation echoed Stagg's own principles and Blanton would guide the distillery through the challenges of Prohibition and the Great Depression.
Throughout the ensuing decades, the distillery remained a renowned hub of bourbon production. Elmer T. Lee began his tenure there in 1949, becoming plant manager 20 years later. Lee was instrumental in preserving traditional bourbon-making techniques and created Blanton's, the first commercially available single-barrel bourbon. In 1992, the Sazerac Company purchased the distillery, renaming it Buffalo Trace in 1999 and launching its namesake bourbon. By the early 2000s, the distillery was producing a panoply of acclaimed bourbons for such brands as Pappy Van Winkle, W.L. Weller, Eagle Rare, and others.
The Coveted Stagg Whiskies
Today, the George T. Stagg name lives on through two highly sought-after bourbons. George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection LINK, a selection of highly aged bourbons and ryes which represent the best the distillery can offer. Known commonly by the acronym BTAC, the annual collection debuted in 2000 with George T. Stagg added to the lineup in 2002. Initially known as Stagg Jr., Stagg bourbon made its debut in 2013 and is more readily available than its BTAC counterpart. With an average ABV well over 60% and approximately 8 years in age, it is released in two-three batches a year.
All photographs courtesy of Buffalo Trace Distillery.
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