THE BOURBON RESOURCE: MAY 2024
A new logo, Ezra Brooks Port finished and Blood Oath reviews, bourbon scams
We have a new logo!
Cool huh? Due to substack limitations, I can’t add this flush left and then add type next to it (maybe I can, but I don’t know how; trying to figure it out.) Now that I’m getting closer to the 500 free subscribers goal (yes, that’s small, but big isn’t always better), I wanted a logo for merch like hats and t-shirts, and maybe even some giveaways. Here it is. Let me know what you think.
THE BIG NEWS
Limestone Branch’s private pick program. Limestone Branch has opened a 1,250-square-foot tasting room for barrel pick customers at the Stephen B. Beam Tasting Lodge, the distillery announced in a press release. Customers can taste and pick from the Yellowstone Bourbon Hand Picked, Minor Case Rye, and Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey. All of the barrels come at varying proofs, generally in the 105 to 119 proof range (the 119 is calling my name). In the event you can’t make it to Lebanon, Kentucky to sample in person, Limestone Branch will send out tasting kits. Visit LimestoneBranch.com or send an email to singlebarrelprogram@luxco.com to learn more. It’s a good day anytime a distillery makes it easy for bourbon lovers to experience a barrel pick, and Limestone makes it easy.
MORE NEWS
Bourbon for a cause: Sports fans may remember Eric LeGrand, a Rutgers University football player paralyzed in a game in 2010. Since then, LeGrand has been involved in a number of business ventures, including launching Eric LeGrand Straight Bourbon Whiskey in 2023. The bourbon retails for $45, and $5.20 of every sale goes to spinal cord research. Way to go Eric.
Bourbon Awards: It’s the time of year I absolutely loathe because a number of organizations publish their “Best of” lists that serve only to drive up the costs of some good and affordable bourbons. It happened with McKenna 10, a perfectly good pour at $29.99. But then it won some award from someplace, and the price quickly doubled or more. Sadly, the same will now happen with Larceny Barrel proof, one of my favs at $59.99. But that price will jump now that it’s been named the best bourbon in the world by the American Distilling Institute. It’s good, and I love it, but the best bourbon in the entire freakin’ world? I’ve got several on my shelf that are better. Anyway, run out and get a couple of bottles before the price increases.
No more Beam Suntory: In 2014, Suntory Holdings Limited purchased Beam Co. for $16 billion, and Beam became Beam Suntory. Now, Suntory has decided to drop Beam from the American subsidiary’s name, and it’s now Suntory Global Spirits. Suntory thinks the new name will better identify with its global brand and ambitions. On the other hand, you’d think Suntory would want its name tied to one of the country’s best-selling bourbons. The Jim Beam label on bottles won’t change.
Echo Spirits, a small craft distiller in Columbus, OH, will hold several “bottle your own” events this summer. For $80, you can taste bourbon, pick your favorite, and bring home a bottle. This is becoming a popular event among smaller distillers and serves as a good marketing tool. The summer events, held seven times between May and August, are selling quickly, with several days already sold out.
BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE
Scams are everywhere. That’s not news. But bourbon scams are becoming more ingenious and hard to track.
I came across this one:
Now, for the uninitiated, that looks legit, especially since the liquor store’s address and phone number —- both real —- are at the bottom of the website.
But the price of a complete set of Pappy on the secondary goes for $15,000 or more. So the alleged price of $7,200 is too good to be true. The $2,400 falls into Brooklyn Bridge territory.
As it turns out, this liquor store —- I’m not naming it because it didn’t do anything wrong —- doesn’t have a website and has reported someone is scamming his customers.
That Pappy would be an expensive scam. You’ll also find Pappy sets as part of fundraisers and raffles, with some legit and some not. My rule of thumb: If it pops up on social media or my email, I bypass it. Too many people mirror the names of legitimate operations with the purpose of taking your cash.
And for those that buy on the secondary, make sure to join a couple of social media pages that out scammers and warn against doing business with them. Whiskey Scam Alert on Twitter (I’m not calling it ‘X’) and the BRM People’s Court on Facebook are two good sources. And this is an excellent piece on scams that’s worth your time.
REVIEWS
Note: Lux Row Distillers provided the Ezra Brooks sample without any special considerations. The Bourbon Resource appreciates Lux Row.
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
99 Proof
MSRP: $34.99
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
It’s always nice to find a solid bourbon at a price point that doesn’t make you choke.
History
Ezra Brooks has been around since 1957, moved to Bardstown in 2018, and is distilled by Lux Row.
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
Mash bill:
78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malt
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Cherry candy, vanilla, pepper, leather
👉🏻Taste: Creamy, cinnamon candy (think Red Hots), chocolate, oak, dark berries
👉🏻Finish: Cinnamon candy, dark berries, chocolate, leather
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
Summary
I’m a huge Ezra Brooks fan because they provide solid products at a fair price. I have the Ezra Brooks 99, which retails for $25.99, and it’s a solid daily drinker. My bourbon group, the 32 Staves Society, recently tasted and selected a barrel of Ezra Brooks Cask Strength, and it’s spectacular.
So I was excited to try this latest expression, finished for six months in port wine barrels from Portugal. I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. It has a full, creamy mouth feel that bursts with complexity of flavors. From the first sniff to taste, this bourbon has a consistency not often found at this price point. Some bourbons start strong and finish weak; others smell and taste great but have a short unimpressive finish. The Ezra Brooks has a long finish with a flavor profile that doesn’t quit.
Conclusion – Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
After I finish this newsletter, one of the first orders of business will be buying three of these bourbons so I have some in reserve. I don’t make many predictions, but I think the combination of price point and taste will make this a popular pick.
Have you tried the Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish? What do you think?
Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
98.6 Proof
MSRP: $129
Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
I think this is the best release of them all.
History
This release marks the 10th year of limited edition Blood Oath releases
Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash bill:
N/A
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Pepper, cocoa, tobacco, light sweet fruit
👉🏻Taste: Anise, floral notes, rhubarb, pepper, berries
👉🏻Finish: Pepper, dark berry, oak, vanilla
Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Summary
Historically, I haven’t been a big Blood Oath fan, though I realize some people swear by it. I was fascinated by the description of this one. From a press release quoting Master Distiller and Master Blender John Rempe:
“We wanted to create something truly distinctive and unique to mark our 10th edition of Blood Oath and we did just that. For this offering I sourced three extraordinary bourbons that could be elevated even further through a double finish in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks, and would ultimately deliver the kind of rich, fruit-forward notes and smooth drinking experience I wanted to achieve. It’s a superb blend and I’m excited to share it.”He’s created a really good milestone bourbon that has more flavor and finish than the other Blood Oath releases. As usual, Lux Row released just 51,000 bottles, and 1,400 of them will be reserved for a future trilogy release. (For those interested, the Pact 7, 8, and 9 trilogy will be released later this year. )
Conclusion: Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
If you’re looking for a special bottle as a gift —- and if you can find one —- the Pact 10 is a worthy contender. It’s already showing up on the secondary market for anywhere from $225 (reasonable markup) to $500 (crazy talk). If you find one in the wild for retail, it’s a worthy get.
Have you tried the Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey? What do you think?
That’s it for this month! If you’re an NBA fan, look at the Knicks Film School newsletter, the smartest commentary of all things New York Knicks and NBA basketball. You can click on the below button to learn more.
And our friends at Bourbon Obsessed have a tremendous catalog of bourbon and distillery reviews. You can see more from them here:
Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances 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.