Ezra Brooks Rye is a new rye whiskey label brought to the market by Luxco and sourced from MGP of Indiana. It’s an extension of the Ezra Brooks line which is owned by Luxco and distributed nationally. It also comes in quite an attractive bottle and label.
In Luxco’s Words: Ezra Brooks Rye
“Ezra Brooks Straight Rye, a genuine straight rye whiskey, is made from the finest ingredients available and bottled at an honest 90 proof. This rye whiskey offers slightly sweet and oaky tones with a warm, spicy finish – making it perfect for crafting classic cocktails or enjoying on the rocks. It is available nationally starting this month in 750ml and 50ml bottles.”
Seriously, I like the style of the bottle, it looks like an old style whiskey bottle. I like the feel of the label, it has a slightly rough texture to it that give it some grip, but none of that factors into the review. It’s all about what’s IN the bottle and to get into that we need to dive on in to the Ezra Brooks Rye review below.
Ezra Brooks Rye Info
Region: Indiana, USA
Distiller: MGP
Bottler: Luxco
Mashbill: 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malt
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 2 Years
ABV: 45%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $20
Ezra Brooks Rye Review
EYE
Light caramel
NOSE
Fruity overtones with notes of butterscotch, dill, toffee and a bit of oak and spice. Not very complex, but quite nice.
PALATE
More fruity overtones with notes of butterscotch, dill, toffee, fresh bread and bits of spice, oak and vanilla. Like the nose it’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s perfectly enjoyable.
FINISH
Medium fade of fruit, butterscotch, spice, toffee and bread.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium body and a light soft feel.
OVERALL
The Ezra Brooks Rye isn’t bad by any means. It’s a bit light and fruity, but the spicy backbone and 90 proof delivery makes it perfectly sippable as well as being able to easily integrate into any cocktail where you want spice without the oak. This whiskey isn’t going to blow your mind or wow your palate, but it’s a good cheap workhorse that’s perfectly drinkable neat.
SCORE: 83/100 (B)
*Disclosure: This was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this rye whiskey review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Ezra Brooks Rye Review - Score Breakdown
Summary
Ezra Brooks Rye is a decent workhorse whiskey.
Overall
- Nose - 83
- Palate - 83
- Finish - 83
- Balance, Body & Feel - 83
Reading this review for the first time in February ’23, it still rings absolutely true. Over the past 8 years or so I have come to absolutely love and prefer today’s rye whiskeys over any other variety. To be sure, I am and have been a whiskey drinker since I was a young man. FYI all of my favorite ryes are from MGP. All have the instantly recognizable flavor profile ofMGP(which I love!) , with assorted slight variations. An aside: Alberta distillers is kinda the MGP of Canada with their ryes highly sought and sourced. So…. all my favorite ryes are basically the same thing and Ezra Brooks is a fantastic bottle for $20 or less. Slaintè
Cheers Christopher!
Nice, easy drinking rye. This would be a great first whiskey, and is a great bottle for 12.99. The flavor quality is far better than it’s price would suggest, not at all harsh or hurried. At this price you won’t be counting the dollars as you drink.
Indeed, cheers Chris!
I came across this bottom shelf rye in a local liquor store the other day. Like the author, I was attracted to the bottle and when I picked it up, I too, liked the feel of the label. I read what was printed on it and thought, “Why not?”. I was actually looking for another rye, but the store was out.
I must say that this is, in all honesty, one of the better rye whiskeys I’ve had. No, it’s not complex or complicated. But that’s its charm. It has a bold, uncompromising flavor that seems to say “I am rye!”.
I WILL be bending down to that bottom shelf again for this one. It’s a keeper.
Loved reading this, thank you for sharing Vince. Cheers!
Ezra Brooks’ own website ( https://ezrabrooks.com/whiskey/straight-rye-whiskey/ ) now lists the mashbill as 51% rye, 45% corn, 4% malt. MGP has been branching out from their 95% rye mashbill since about 2013, including this breakdown, plus another that’s 51% rye and 49% malt. I believe this may be one of the first easily-identifiable results.
Unfortunately, it currently seems to have extremely limited availability in my home state.
Thanks Andy. When it was first launched they didn’t list the mash and the PR didn’t release the mash so I went with the usual suspect. Updated!
Just read your review and it was spot on. First rye I’ve ever had. Loved it. Glad it’s on the bottom shelf. hehe
Ha, cheers. It’s always good to have those bottom shelf gems. :)
Very light taste and an delight to sip neat or on the rocks with a dash of Aromatic bitters from Scrappy’s Bitters! Great value! Buy and enjoy!
Just picked up a bottle of this at my local Meijer for 12.99! A steal!
Nice!
I found a bottle of this here in Tokyo for under $20 and have to say I’m really enjoying it. It’s rye, so fruity, spicy and a bit in-your-face, pretty much what I want from rye. It’s an MGP 95% rye distillation, so is this the same as Bulleit but at two-thirds the price, or is the Bulleit stuff older? I don’t have them side by side, but the Brooks tastes very similar to the Bulleit.
Same source so they should taste fairly close. Cheers Martin!
I went through a bottle of this rather quickly. I found it to be tasty over ice, and the Manhattan is terrific with Noilly – but I really like it with Dubonnet! This is a solid choice for a low-priced whiskey. Someone brought a bottle of 6 yr Templeton to a party at the house recently, and even though the spirit is the same base and the Templeton is 4 yrs older, I much prefer the Ezra. I will be stocking up, as it’s currently selling for 12 and change at the local supermarket. Cheers indeed!
Thanks for sharing David. It likely the reason you like the Ezra more is because it’s just rye whiskey. Templeton adds artificial flavoring to their whiskey which changes it drastically from the core.
Cheers!
Have yet to try this one, but it’s on my list. How does it compare to George Dickel rye? Both MGP-sourced, both charcoal-filtered before bottling, both bottled at 45% abv, but if I recall the George Dickel is 4 yrs old and I see that the Ezra Brooks is only 2.
I like the George Dickel more. It’s a bit older (4 years I believe) and the charcoal filtering smoothes out the edges. Cheers!
Thanks for the review, Josh. Ezra is one of my go-to everyday bourbons (in other words, if it’s on sale I pick up a bottle, heh heh), and now I’ll add their rye to my “Oh! Look what’s on sale” list. It’s nice that the distillers are practically all giving rye a go these days. I feel very 1950s when I drink a rye…
Ha, cheers Dan. Hope you get to try it soon!
EB rye and Old Overholt are about the same price. The mash blls are totally different and OO is a year older. Your overall rating is the same for both whiskies. Which is your favorite?
I like them both for different reasons, but I’d likely choose the EB because I like the Dilly rye profile a bit more.