Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength Bourbon Review

We hope you had a great New Year’s. Welcome to our first review of 2019… Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength Bourbon. This is also our first review from Ezra Brooks and our first barrel strength bourbon!

Let's start with the specs:
Manufacturer: Lux Row Distillers

Age: 7 Years

Location Produced: Bardstown, KY

Mash Bill (estimated): 78% corn, 10% rye, 12 % barley

Aroma & Taste (from manufacturer): Sweet floral notes with undertones of vanilla, cinnamon, and fine wood

Finish (from manufacturer): Warm, buttery finish

Alcohol: 58.5% (wowzers!)

Who is this for?: Collectors, individuals looking for a cheaper barrel strength bourbon. This band.

Cost (Ohio): $39.99 + tax

Let's start the review!

Taste - Score 32 out of 35

On the nose, we picked up a strong hints of raisin and bit of leather.

On giving it a taste, the first thought is that for a 58.5% alcohol bourbon, the alcohol isn't overwhelming, which is a really good thing. Very different from the Knob Creek 120 that needed a heavy splash of water before we were able to sip. In terms of taste, we picked up strong nutty flavors, almost to the point of peanut butter, that turned into oak on the back of the tongue. It has a very singular taste, but unique. At this at this high of a proof, there is almost no burn. One of us described it as a sweet vanilla butter cream taste. 

Smoothness/Finish - Score 20 out of 25

The finish on this is extremely long and can be felt in your chest (a warm Kentucky Hug). We did pick up an oak flavor. The charcoal mellowing really helps the drinkability.

Intangibles: Color/Appearance - Score 13 out of 15.


In the bottle and in the glass, Old Ezra Barrel Strength gives off a beautiful dark brown color that looks great. The pictures below are comparing to Town Branch on the left, Old Ezra center, and Bulleit Rye on the right. The Old Ezra comes off a tad darker than the Bulleit and has a nice caramel color.

In terms of the bottle, we really liked the raised etchings that say 'Lux Row Distillers' as well as the bubble neck. Old Ezra captured the spirit of this bourbon perfectly with the font and color pallate that they chose. Overall, we think this would look great on any bar.

Availability - Score 0.5 out of 5

While we did find this in Ohio, we've only seen it once and we were lucky enough to be at the store when it was being delivered. 

Overall Value - Score 20 out of 20

Given everything that this bourbon gives, you would be hard pressed to find a better barrel strength at this price point. When you add on that you're getting a seven year, this value is hard to beat. We're glad we happened to be at the right place at the right time to score a bottle. 

Final Score: 85.5 out of 100 - Recommend

Note: This review was done by Mark, Ashwin, and Matty G. The bottle was purchased at Giant Eagle Grandview Yard, in beautiful, Grandview, OH