Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Port Wine Casks Finish

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 49.5% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A finish in port wine casks from Portugal gives this Kentucky Straight Bourbon a fruity side. The whiskey spent six months in the casks and was introduced in 2024 as the first release in a planned series of annually changing finishes. Its mash bill is 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley, and it was bottled at 99 proof, or 49.5% ABV.

Berries, raisins and apricot complement the bourbon’s vanilla and caramel notes. Tobacco and leather add a drier edge, while dark chocolate and cinnamon accompany the fruit sweetness. A note of charred oak is also present.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, vanilla, pipe tobacco and leather mingle with berries, raisins, caramel and a port-wine note, alongside charred oak.
• Palate: On the palate, the bourbon is rounded, with raspberry jam, honey and apricot alongside caramel, dark chocolate and cinnamon.
• Finish: The medium-length finish has a syrupy texture, with lingering spiced fruit notes and chocolate.

Distillery/Bottler:

Lux Row Distillers produces Ezra Brooks in Bardstown, Kentucky. In 2015, Luxco decided to build its own distillery for its whiskey brands after working with outside distilleries for decades. The site has two 43-foot copper stills and nine of its own barrel warehouses.

For this Ezra Brooks release, the bourbon received an additional port-cask finish after its initial maturation. Lux Row Distillers introduced it in 2024 as the first release in the planned finish series.

Facts: