In anticipation of visiting Lux Row Distillers, I decided it might be a good idea to familiarize myself with some of their products. First was Rebel 100, which I found very smooth, sweet, and drinkable, while being a little one-note in terms of complexity…then I picked up a bottle of Ezra Brooks 99 without having read anything about it…and because it was dirt cheap at about $40 for a handle.
All their website says about mash bill is that it is corn, rye, and barley, bottled at “an elevated 99 proof.” It is sold as a Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, so a minimum of 2 years of age, made in Kentucky, and nothing added to it. But what they do with Ezra Brooks is interesting…charcoal filtering…yeah, the same description that you put on Jack Daniels and other Tennessee Whiskies. Called the “Lincoln County Process” in Tennessee, they drip the whiskey through the charcoal either before or after barreling (or both in the case of Gentleman Jack) in order to mellow it out. Not being a big fan of Jack, I was a little startled to hear this…but the difference comes down to mash bill more than anything else, I think…because this is much better as a neat sipping whiskey.
Ezra Brooks 99 is light in the glass compared to a lot of bourbons I frequently pour. To me that indicates that while they may go past the 2 year requirement for a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, they probably don’t go too far past it. It had a light fragrance of vanilla, honey, and wood, while the first sip was very sweet and mellow at the front of the mouth. It got more oaky and then spicy as it traversed to the back of my palate and then down the throat, but it was still quite smooth and drinkable for a 99-proof bourbon with a rye recipe. I feel like this is a good bargain-priced sipping whiskey, in line with Evan Williams Bottled In Bond. It could also be a good cocktail base…something I’ll have to try when I get time.
