THE BOURBON RESOURCE: July 2023
Tennessee cracks down, LOTS of news, Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur, Evan WIlliams Black Label
THE BIG NEWS
Tennessee sues online liquor stores: The state of Tennessee has sued six out-of-state online liquor stores for mailing spirits to Tennessee residents without the proper state license. Undercover agents from the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission purchased the spirits, according to a press release from the Tennessee Attorney General’s office. These undercover operations aren’t unusual. States carry them out from time to time. But, given the continuing boom in bourbon sales and a secondary market that shows no signs of slowing down, I wonder if states might increase enforcement actions. They can only do so much because they don’t have the staff to monitor every online outlet. But a small enforcement increase might be enough to give some retailers pause. (H/T to reader Mark Fisher for passing this along)
MORE NEWS
Another day, another criminal probe involving bourbon. In Oregon, the state’s Department of Justice will review the actions of six Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission managers. The state alleges that the managers kept rare bourbons for themselves instead of making them available through Oregon’s lottery. Yes, the expensive (and overrated) Pappy products are at the center of the alleged scheme.
Who says it’s hard to keep a secret? Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Spirits will open this fall in Kentucky in the city of Pleasureville, which has now become my favorite city name. Here’s the thing. The distillery began its building project in 2017 and distilling in 2018 and somehow managed to keep it a secret until now. So where is Pleasureville, that place we all go to after a good bourbon? It’s 54 miles east of Louisville.
It’s awards season, and while I am generally great you with a giant yawn, I pass along this information so you can prepare for the price hikes that inevitably follow these announcements. Augusta Distillery’s Buckner’s 13-year bourbon won best in the world during the San Francisco Spirits Competition. It’s a nice, spicy and caramel product that retails for $199 and commands $275-$300 on the secondary. Heaven Hill won the 2023 Global Distiller of the Year Award by Whiskey Magazine.
The folks at Daviess County posted an interesting blog entitled “How to blend bourbon at home.” There’s even a recipe for calls for using precise measurements in a blended bourbon. Since I have all three, I’ll try it in a subsequent newsletter.
Are you a cookie fan? Our friends at Bourbon Obsessed, where I occasionally write reviews, have a fun story. They looked at the best bourbons to pair with chocolate chip cookies. I have bourbon and chocolate a lot, but I never thought of a cookie. You may also be surprised by the winning bourbon.
Lux Row will release a Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon in August. The limited-allocation release of 7,500 (6-pack) cases will be available in August at $79.99. Expect a review in the August newsletter.
Ross & Squibb Distillery, out of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, has released the Remus Highest Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a mash bill of 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted rye. That’s interesting because it’s a bourbon that may appeal to rye and whiskey drinkers alike. It’s available at $54.99. Look for a review soon.
The 2023 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey hits the market in August,. The product, from Limestone Branch Distillery Master Distiller Steve Beam features a blend of 7-year, 13-year, and 16-year aged bourbons finished in Tokaji casks. The limited edition, with just 30,000 bottles nationwide, retails at $99.99.
For all of the Orphan Barrel fans out there, the lastest release, Indigo Hour, will come soon, maybe as soon as August. The U.S. Department of Treasury approved the Indigo Hour label on June 28, so shipping should commence soon. No word yet, on the price for the 90-proof product.
REVIEW
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur
Note: LuxCo provided a sample of the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur for review purposes without any special considerations.
And another note: You’ll see a change in the review formats starting this month for two reasons --- one that has to do with search engine optimization (I’ll spare you the details, but write me if you want to know) and it makes it easier for me to share the information with our friends at Bourbon Obsessed.
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur
33 Proof
MSRP: $21.99
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur
Buy it? If you like a sweet after-dinner drink. It’s terrific over ice cream.
History
There’s minimal history on the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur, although I did find an interesting tidbit. This year, Ezra Brooks, which makes some of the finest bourbons around, kicked up the bourbon cream proof to 33% from 25%. Us math nerds know that’s a percent change of a whopping 32%, and that’s … a lot.
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Butterscotch, vanilla. spice, grain alcohol
👉🏻Taste: Vanilla, chocolate, heavy cream, vanilla
👉🏻Finish: Butterscotch, maple, heavy cream, chocolate
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur
Summary
In my infancy days of drinking, I thought Amaretto was the bee’s knee, as the kids used to say. I had a bottle under my kitchen sink. I didn’t have a bar. Just the Amaretto.
Over time as my taste buds developed, I swore off liqueurs for drinking but did use them in cooking. But the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur seems suitable for an after-dinner drink for those that like sweetness.
The Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur’s thick, butterscotch-colored pour threw me because I didn’t know what to expect. A couple of tastes in, and I finally got it. This is a dessert drink for non-bourbon drinkers who want something that tastes like a spiked chocolate shake. The real win comes when you pour it over vanilla ice cream and get this kicked-up sundae. I can see it taking Bananas’ Foster to a new level. I’m also curious how this will go with homemade brown sugar syrup.
Conclusion – Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur
This isn’t for bourbon lovers but a segment of the market that wants a drinkable liqueur at a reasonable price. If you find Sauternes too sweet (I don’t!), this is worth trying, especially for the price. At a minimum, buy some ice cream. You won’t be sorry.
Have you tried the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream liqueur? What do you think?
Bargain bin: Bourbons in the $20 price range
Evan Williams Black label
Mash bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley
Proof: 86
Retail: $14.99
Evan Williams Black Label comfortably rests on or near the bottom shelf of most stores, even though it should be higher. There’s nothing remarkable about this pour, and that’s what makes it stand out. It’s solid in all aspects, from the charred oak on the nose to the standard vanilla and caramel on the palate to the rye and heat that feels bigger than 86 proof. Throw in the $14.99 price point, and you have a real winner.
BOURBON COCKTAIL
The Classic Old Fashioned from Heaven Hill
That’s it for this month! If you’re an NBA fan, look at the Knicks Film School newsletter, the smartest commentary, and all things the New York Knicks and NBA basketball.
Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who has worked for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow.