A message on Twitter asking if I'd like to take part in a Flash Mob? What's not to like - let's all meet up somewhere at a prearranged time and do something stupid in front of lots of people!
Then I read it a bit closer - it was from Steve Rush... Now I know Steve enjoys his whisky but I never took him for a dancer...
Those with a good memory probably recognise my words from above as I've used them before on a whisky flash blog - this time we're all talking about Lux Row Distiller's new Bourbons - the Ezra Brooks 99 and Rebel 100 both available for around £35.
The Ezra Brooks and Rebel brands are owned by Lux Row Distillers which in turn is owned by the huge contact distiller MGP (Midwest Grain Products) who make a huge amount of American whiskey for various bottlers.
Luxco recently opened its Lux Row Distillers distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, in 2018. Before the distillery’s launch, Ezra Brooks was distilled offsite, and Luxco acted as an NDP - a non-distiller producer - of the spirit so these two whiskies are probably sourced - a quick Google search suggests Heaven Hill - but releases in the near future should be from their own distillery.
The Ezra Brooks brand was originally introduced to the market in 1957 by entrepreneur Frank Silverman. It was taken over by LuxCo in 1993 and MGP in February 2021.
Introduced in January 2021 Ezra Brooks 99 is a NAS oak-barrel-aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon - which means it must be at least 4 years old and one of these years must have been in Kentucky.
To be called a bourbon the mash bill must contain at least 51% corn, Ezra Brooks 99 contains 78% along with 12% malted barley and 10% rye. Ezra Brooks is a sour mash whiskey. This process carries over a portion of the terminal beer from a previous fermentation, to act as a starter while grain for the next mash is ground-in. In this way, whiskey makers can maintain pH and alkaline conditions from batch to batch, and ensure yeasts have a comfortable home in which to ferment. Unusually for a bourbon it's been charcoal filtered before bottling.
Distillery tasting notes:
Palate: Hints of caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and spice
Finish: Smooth and drinkable
My thoughts:
Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling at a thick line and fall as slow thick legs.
Nose: vanilla, toffee, cherry lips sweets and some floral hints. There's some cereal notes that I'd expect from a bourbon along with some rye spices of cinnamon and cloves.
Palate: smooth buttery arrival, immediately spicy - huge cinnamon along with pepper and clove spices. There's some honey, toffee popcorn and hazelnut and toasted coconut hints.
Finish: lingering cinnamon spice, toffee and dark chocolate.
Overall: the 10% rye really makes it's self know - huge spice notes and if you like that you'll enjoy this whiskey.
The Rebel Yell brand was originally created in the late 1940’s by Stitzel-Weller Distilling Co. to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Weller company. It inspiring Billy Idol to write his song ‘Rebel Yell’ after he saw the Rolling Stones drinking it backstage at a concert. In 1992, then owners United Distillers moved their production to Bernheim from Stitzel-Weller, Rebel Yell began production alongside the other wheated bourbons in the United Distillery portfolio, soon afterwards the distillery was sold to Heaven Hill and the various brands produced there to the highest bidders. Rebel Yell’s brand and assets were then sold to the David Sherman Corporation in St. Louis which became LuxCo and is now MGP. The Yell part of the name was dropped.
Rebel 100 is another NAS oak-barrel-aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon - but has a slightly different mash bill containing 68% corn, 20% wheat & 12% malted barley.
Distillery tasting notes:
"the newest member of the Rebel Bourbon family, this wheated bourbon takes everything you love about our Kentucky Straight Bourbon and dials it up. bottled at 100 proof or 50% ABV talk about intense."
Aroma: Honey, butter and raisins
Palate: Honey and butter with a hint of plum and raisins
Finish: Long and warm with an interesting touch of spiciness
My thoughts:
Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling at a thin line and fall as slow thick legs.
Nose: buttered popcorn, vanilla, toffee, hazelnuts and a hints of honey and citrus.
Palate: again a smooth buttery arrival, but it's missing all the spice of the Ezra Brooks - there's more honey and brown sugar sweetness, buttery popcorn and a little cut grass. There's some fresh baked bread notes. The spice comes a little later, just as the liquid is disappearing, it's peppery.
Finish: lingering sweetness and peppery spice.
Overall: This is a more traditional bourbon, but being wheated there's some bready notes which make it a little more complex. Whilst there is a little spice it's not overpowering - a great introduction to wheated bourbons.
Many thanks to Lux Row Distillers, @ChapmanPoolePR and @TheWhiskyWire for the samples!
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