The Bourbon Resource: June, 2023
Russell Reserve 13 new release, Ezra Brooks Rye review, Bargain Bin
THE BIG NEWS
Another Russell Reserve 13 release. The third release of Russell Reserve 13 has hit the shelves. Wild Turkey produces marvelous bourbon, but this one would be at the top of my list if I could find a bottle. Forget that the RR13 has won a bunch of awards. It’s the perfect balance of oak, sweet and fruity notes with a long finish that coats the mouth. Now for the bad news. This release costs $150, a whopping 50% more than 2022’s $100 price. Still, it’s one of the rare bourbons worth the cost. Last year’s release went as high as $600 on the secondary (no, thank you) but now sits at about $350 --- much better but still high, even for a bourbon this good. Bottom line: If you find one on the shelf at MSRP, grab it.
MORE NEWS
Bib and Tuck have released a 6-year aged double char bourbon. Made in Tennessee, B&B spends six months in a charred and smoked barrel after the initial aging process. The process yields a savory and smoky product, according to the press release. The B&B 6-year is a solid bourbon and better than the 12-year, which costs twice as much. I’d try this if I could find it in a bar, but the smoky description scares me a little.
Craft whiskeys are no longer new, but the Still Austin Distillery in Texas has released a product with a different mash bill of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and five percent malted barley. Hmmmmmmmm.
Bardstown has released its Discovery #10 series, a blend of sourced bourbons mostly from Kentucky, but also Tennessee and Georgia. I’m a huge fan of Bardstown products, as they do a great job sourcing and blending their product. Price is an issue. The MSRP Is $139.99, and there are only so many bottles at that price range most consumers have on their shelves.
FROM READERS
Tips, trends, and suggestions from Bourbon Resource Readers
A once-in-a-lifetime whisky tour: A tiny island off Scotland’s west coast is turning heads. Thanks to Mike Gugliotto for pointing this out. The isle of Islay off Scotland’s west coast is home to nine of Scotland’s 145 distilleries, and people flock there for the whisky and the scenery. That looks like one hell of a road trip. (I’m headed to London next year and thought I could do an overnight, but it’s a six-hour flight, as long as it’ll take me to go from Washington D.C. to London.
Can peanut butter bourbon be good? I have a hard time believing that, but Bon Appetit, which knows a thing or two about good food, says so. Thanks to Dennis Hall for sending in that piece of weird news.
At a recent bourbon tasting, Gary Collins shared a “Brothers of the Leaf” straight bourbon whiskey aged in toasted French oak casks. It’s a sourced bourbon with a 75/21/4 mash bill and at $90 MSRP, about what you’d expect to pay for a product from a smaller company. I was surprised at the bourbon’s balance, with just enough oak coming through while not interfering with the hints of chocolate, coffee, and pepper. I’ll have to find a bottle for a longer review.
32 Staves Society has two picks coming up
The 32 Staves Society, the barrel pick arm of the Bourbon Resource, will head to Bardstown on June 28 to select a single barrel Ezra Brooks cask strength at LuxRow distillers. Look for a review of the tasting experience and what the group selected in the July newsletter. The Society will select a much sought-after Woodford Reserve barrel, our second, sometime this fall. More to come on that.
REVIEW
Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whisky
Note: LuxCo provided a sample of the Ezra Brooks 99-proof Rye and the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream without any special considerations for review purposes. The Bourbon Cream review will be in the July newsletter.
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 99 Straight Rye Whisky
99 Proof
MSRP: $24.99
Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whisky
Buy it? Yes. A very nice rye with a nice spice kick, and you can’t beat the price.
History
In January 2021, Ezra Brooks launched its 99-proof bourbon that quickly became a hit, including in my household. The sweetness, char, and spice make this a go-to drink, and at about $25, it won’t hurt the wallet. That release was so successful LuxRow Distillers decided to release a 99-proof rye.
Ezra Brooks 99 Straight Rye Whiskey
Mash Bill
Rye: 51%
Corn: 45%
Malted Barley: 4%
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Peppermint, light rye bread, honey
👉🏻Taste: Vanilla, pepper, honey
👉🏻Finish: Pepper, allspice, honey, cherry
Ezra Brooks 99 Straight Rye Whiskey
Summary
As readers of this newsletter know, I’m not a big fan because the ones I’ve tasted always seem to be over-the-top with spice. Not this one. It’s surprisingly mild for rye, and if I didn’t know the mash bill ahead of time, I would guess this is a bourbon. The light rye on the nose gets masked by the peppermint and honey. The light flavors on the tongue quickly get overshadowed by a medium to long finish that kicks the rye properties into high gear.
Conclusion – Ezra Brooks 99 Straight Rye Whiskey
Bourbon lovers often complain and rightly complain about rising bourbon prices. So when you find a gem like this, grab as much as you can. It will make a terrific Manhattan or Old Fashioned, but it’s good enough to drink neat or on the rocks. I see this as something that will go well on a cool fall evening when you need a little bit of heat to cut the chill.
Have you tried the Ezra Brooks 99 Straight Rye Whiskey? What do you think?
Bargain bin: J.T.S. Brown, $15
I’ve always been scared of the bottom shelf. I have too many memories of Kentucky Owl and Old Crow, which are both fine to put in soda, but really, that’s about it.
That’s why I stayed away from J.T.S. Brown for so long. I took its place on the bottom shelf, and I figured placement equated to taste. The 78% corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye mash bill provides a sweetness (lots of brown sugar) and a spicy finish. If you’re looking for an inexpensive everyday drinker, it’s hard to do worse than this one.
I was wrong.
The Heaven Hill product does the job at a bargain price. It’s a Bottled in Bond to boot, so you get some age (four years) and a nice proof (100). It’s worth having as a solid daily drinker despite it’s bottom-shelf designation.
BOURBON TRIVIA
May’s question asked, which of these distilleries —- Thomas Moore, Heaven Hill, Old Forestor or Maker’s Mark —- was NOT part of the original eight distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The answer: Old Forestor.
Here’s the June question.
BOURBON COCKTAIL
The Paper Plane
Heaven Hill sent me this via email. Looks fun!
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.
Hey Ray, like you I refuse to believe peanut butter bourbon can be good. I've given it multiple attempts and it seems like it just can't be done.