Ezra Brooks 99 Port Cask Finished Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C

Port and bourbon are one of those pairings that, when right, can be an absolute home run. Something that elevates the sweetness while controlling that sweetness through tannin and oak, being an easy drinker without veering into dessert whiskey. More often than not, however, the two are used somewhat haphazardly – maybe the finishing is too short or too long, or the bourbon isn’t strong enough to punch through what can be a heavy fask influence.

In the Ezra Brooks 99 Port Cask Finished Bourbon, I see intent to balance the two flavors and have them be more than two ships in the glass. Having had numerous Ezra Brooks releases in the past, I would never characterize the brand as low on flavor. Whether I like that flavor is a different measure, but it’s never lacking.

This pour, though, feels…restrained? Perhaps too restrained. The flavors are good. They are so tenuous, from nose to finish, that I struggle to identify them. When they do come through, the delicacy is evident. Lux Row took Ezra Brooks bourbon and finished it in port casks for 18 months. 18 months is hardly a flash finish: it’s meant to either impart lots of port character, or they’re dealing with exhausted port casks that need 18 months to do what fresh ones would do in 3-6. The whiskey does have a gentle garnet hue, demonstrating enough port presence to still give color, so I’m inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and say they wanted lots of port character.

Upon first sniff and sip, all that came to me were light fruity notes – we’re talking grape flesh, where the fruit is so high in water content that the flavor itself is barely noticeable. You know it’s a fruit from the sweetness and tartness, but it’s the difference between fresh grapes and grape juice. Same source, but you wouldn’t confuse one for the other.

After 18 months of port influence and despite the moderate coloring, this falls far short of the flavor explosion I’m expecting. Nothing about it tastes bad – it tastes like the flavor has been leached out, leaving the expected oak and heat at 99 proof and several years old without the flavors that ostensibly Lux Row worked so hard to build.

On a side note, I think it unavoidable to compare this to Angel’s Envy. Another port-finished bourbon (the first, arguably), that to me tastes hotter and less port-y than I’d like it to. At similar proofs and prices, the Ezra Brooks is a fair alternative. It doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself or wrest the crown, though, meaning people who enjoy Angel’s Envy likely won’t consider switching (and those who don’t like Angel’s Envy may not take the chance on the Ezra).

As there’s nothing obviously wrong with this whiskey, I can’t fault it; neither can I say I’ll be buying a bottle. Whatever happened in the process where an 18-month port finish leads to less flavor in a bourbon…well, something went off.

The Bourbon
In a Glencairn, golden blossom honey with medium rims sloughing into drops with no legs. Nose is red grapes, light but fresh. Tight nose, hard to pull a lot out. Light baking spices, stronger clove notes with air (but not by much). Darker fruits like plums seem to want to come out but lack the strength.

The palate is surprisingly light on flavor, especially with 18 months of port. Baking spice from the bourbon still hits the tip and front third of my tongue. Dark-skinned but light-fleshed fruits continue to define this. Mouthfeel is – you guessed it – light, piquant, grape and watermelon candies add late sweetness on top of the peppery attack on my tongue. Finish is fleeting, sweet and just a bit fruity, like how your mouth would feel five minutes after finishing your sangria. Light to the end, baking spices slowly dying down.

The Price
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Finished Bourbon is priced at $35, but it is listed with some online retailers for as little as $25.