Old Ezra is an old brand dating back to the 1960s when Ezra Brooks was created to compete with Jack Daniels. I have always liked Old Ezra and drank many a bottle back in my days at United Distillers when it was a brand they acquired at the time they purchased the Glenmore Distilling Company. However, they never made a rye whiskey in those days as rye whiskey was not very popular in the 1990s. Rye whiskey has grown in popularity since the beginning of the 21st century. Ezra Brooks was sold by United Distillers in the mid-1990s and the brand is now owned by Luxco, who also is part of MPG, and have plenty of rye whiskey to bottle, so it is only natural that they introduce a rye expression of Old Ezra. I picked up a bottle of Old Ezra rye whiskey the other day and Matt and sat down to taste it. Here are our tasting notes.
Old Ezra Seven Year Old Full Proof Rye Whiskey
Proof: 114
Age: Seven Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, caramel, apples, cinnamon and oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, vanilla, cedar and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, apples, cinnamon and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the vanilla and apple are enhanced in flavor and pepper spice comes forward. Tasted with a pecan and a note of lemon zest and caramel come out in the flavor.
- Matt: Vanilla, lemon zest, black pepper and oak wood. The dried cranberry added a note of raspberries. The pecan made the vanilla a rich caramel.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon spice. The dried cranberry made the finish long with oak wood and black pepper. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, lemon zest and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and black pepper. The dried cranberry made the finish long and spicy with lots of black pepper. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, black pepper and lingering caramel.
I would pair this rye whiskey with a cigar that has a lot of vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a NUB Habano cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller