Bourbon

Ezra Brooks 99

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Ezra Brooks 99
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

49.5% ABV
$25
Website
Ezra Brooks 99 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Luxco announces the latest addition to its award-winning Ezra Brooks family of products: Ezra Brooks 99, a pure, oak-barrel-aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey elevated to 99 proof. Charcoal filtered for a smooth, mellow finish, the new Ezra Brooks 99 features the same spicy, ryed-bourbon-mash-bill taste, but with an enhanced flavor profile delivered by the higher proof.

“With Ezra Brooks 99 our goal was to create a higher-proof bourbon without sacrificing the rich notes Ezra Brooks is known for,” said John Rempe, master distiller at Lux Row Distillers. “And we achieved that with 99. The result is a smooth, drinkable bourbon with hints of caramel, vanilla, chocolate and spice. We’re thrilled to introduce Ezra Brooks 99 to bourbon lovers everywhere.”

Ezra Brooks 99 features the distinctive packaging and natural cork closure for which Ezra Brooks is known, along with a prominent “99” proof callout on the label and deep “LUX ROW DISTILLERS” embossing on the bottle’s shoulder.

“When you see Ezra Brooks 99, you’ll see an elegant, upscale bottle that stands out on the shelf,” said Eric Winter, brand manager for Ezra Brooks. “We believe the refined style and honest flavor of Ezra Brooks is amplified in Ezra Brooks 99, giving consumers of the brand even more to connect to.”

TASTING NOTES
Smooth and drinkable with hints of caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and spice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, salted caramel, toasted oak spice with cinnamon and clove, a subtle chocolate note (water brings out a bit of mint).
Palate:  Caramel corn, cinnamon, black pepper, bit of chocolate and vanilla.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with a sour oak note and cocoa.
Comments:  A bit of water really smooths this out (NOT that I’m suggesting it should be a lower proof, always appreciate seeing higher proof options on the shelf!). A solid high-rye bourbon with plenty of spice. I wanted to see how it held up against another well-respected, non-age stated high-rye bourbon, so pulled some Wild Turkey 101 for the task. I’d guess this is probably younger as there is more corn sweetness, and this is a bit lighter in color – but it has a nice balance between the sweet and spice notes – which lends itself nicely to an Old Fashioned.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Barrell Bourbon Batch 028

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Barrell Bourbon Batch 028

54.43% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 028
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Barrell Bourbon Batch 028 is a blend of 10 and 11-year-old barrels created from a marriage of three distinct sub-groups of barrels. The first was aroma forward with notes of tropical fruit, citrus zest and exotic spices, identified to drive the nose of the final blend. The second group had a richness in the middle palate and a sweet, almond-like body. The third group was peppery and tannic, adding backbone and a savory, woodsy and earthy component. The final blend of Batch 028 allows each of these groups to shine through. It presents a bouquet of ripe tropical and sweet flower aroma backed up by a robust punch of rustic wood in the cadence and finish.

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana
  • Selection of 10 and 11-year-old barrels
  • Aged in American white oak barrels
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 108.86 proof cask strength bottling

FLAVOR NOTES
The bourbon begins with bright citrus, heady florals, and lively minerals. Sweetness is kept in check by a preponderance of opposing forces. That balance vanishes on the finish when it explodes with tropical fruits then gently fades away leaving only smoked sea salt at the end.

​Neat
Appearance: An earthy orange hue, much like antique yarn dyed with tradition and left to age.
Nose: Maraschino liqueur and dried apricot lay a gentle, fruity foundation that recalls a boisterous chardonnay. Some rather sappy woodsy notes of rosemary and bamboo shoots. A touch of richness from cocoa butter and tallow.
Palate: Fruity in nature, yet well-balanced, so that nothing overwhelms. Candied praline sweetness is balanced by a smoked sea salt minerality. Brown butter richness is cut by a radicchio bitterness. Champagne-like acidity is matched by chalky tannin.
Finish: Complex and tropical, it first explodes with lychee, grapefruit peel, dragonfruit, and strawberry. Some dusty tannin on the tongue gives it length, evolving through lightly oxidized oolong tea and peppery gin until only smoked sea salt lingers.

With a few drops of spring water
The fruitiness is juicier, with cascara, purple plum and rosehip tea. Spices abound, including sassafras and black walnut, salmiak and dill.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Chocolate covered cherries, vanilla crème brûlée with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, oak, blood orange, floral notes with a subtle mineral undertone.
Palate:  Caramel sauce over berries in vanilla pudding, pepper and oak with a nutty vitamin note, cinnamon, orange bitters, tad nutty with a hint of raisins.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with oak and orange zest.
Comments:  Yet another really solid blend from the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits. The Dickel notes are a bit more prominent on this than the last few batches, but has a lot of depth and interesting characteristics, with a solid balance between the sweetness, spice and oak notes. A bit of water tamps down the mineral/vitamin notes and thickens the mouthfeel, and brought out more of a dark fruit sweetness.

Rating: Stands Out

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Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Single Barrel

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Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Single Barrel 107 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Barrel 7167070 | Barrel Filled 9/3/2015 | Hand Selected by: Sherlock’s Rye, Rye Baby

53.5% ABV
$35
Website
Ezra Brooks Distillers Collection

What the Bottle* Says

Hand Picked from Extraordinary Barrels
Sour Mash | Charcoal Mellowed
Distilled and Aged in Kentucky for Lux Row Distillers Bardstown, Kentucky
* The producer doesn’t mention this product on their web-site, so pulling what details I can from the bottle!

What Gary Says

Nose:  Crack of rye spice, dried mint, lemon zest, vanilla, grassy, oak, nutmeg and a hint of clove.
Palate:  Vanilla, oak, salted caramel, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, bit of tangerine.
Finish:  Short side with vanilla, mint and pepper.
Comments:  Another not complicated bourbon, but solid higher proof high rye bourbon. Takes water well, bringing out some notes of popcorn on the palate.

Rating: Stands Out

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Rebel Distiller’s Collection 113 Proof

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Rebel Distiller’s Collection 113 Proof
Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Barrel 7112054 | Barrel Filled 6/16/2015 | Hand Selected by: Sherlock’s Lucky 13

56.5% ABV
$40
Website
Rebel Distillers Collection 113 Proof

What the Bottle* Says

Hand Picked from Extraordinary Barrels
Wheated | Defiantly Smooth
Distilled and Aged in Kentucky for Lux Row Distillers Bardstown, Kentucky
* The producer doesn’t mention this product on their web-site, so pulling what details I can from the bottle!

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel corn, charred oak, coffee cake with vanilla icing and a hint of anise.
Palate:  Caramel with chocolate, cinnamon, anise, vanilla, honey, nutty notes of almonds and hazelnuts.
Finish:  Bit short with slightly burned snickerdoodles and oak.
Comments:  Not old or complex, which isn’t what you’d expect on a 5 yr old near-barrel proof bourbon, but a solid high proof wheater. I tried this side by side against a recent Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and by comparison this was similar with a bit more corn and a bit less spice. Takes water really well, with more chocolate coming in. If not for the short finish, this would be a solid ‘Must Try’. As a single barrel product, I’d expect some variability, but priced fair enough that taking a flyer is probably worth it.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon

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Knob Creek 12 Year
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$60
Website
Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon

What the Distillery Says

Full proof for full flavor. An honest Pre-Prohibition style bourbon.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fudge and caramel (like freshly baked turtle brownies), walnuts, charred oak, brown sugar, nutmeg, hint of graham cracker and leather.
Palate:  Rich dark chocolate with caramel, nutmeg, cinnamon, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, cracked pepper and a hint of peanut brittle.
Finish:  Moderately long with drying cocoa, oak and baking spices.
Comments:  Launched initially as a limited offering in 2019, this is now part of the standard offering. Wow – I’ve long been a fan of Knob Creek, and was disappointed when they dropped (although recently brought back) the 9 year age statement. Older single barrel offerings showed how this whiskey carries a few extra years well. I get a brownie flavor I really love, and while I’m not a big fan of a lot of oak – this is pushing that envelope without going over. The Beam house style with a peanutty-note is either missing, or really faint (which I’ve noticed that as the bourbon ages and the proof goes up, that distinction seems to fade). Fans of Knob Creek definitely need to give this one a try – damn solid bourbon.

Rating: Must Try

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