Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength Bourbon

To change things up, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington sent me a series of samples that have either shapes or some code on them to prevent me from being able to know what they are until after I’ve tasted them. Will I mistake a rye for bourbon or completely miss a finish, who knows, but I’m dying to find out so let’s continue this blind challenge with the vial that has a B2 on it. The nose has a medium astringency that stays in the background of notes starting with butterscotch pudding along with fruits of baked apples and orange zest followed by dark chocolate covered pecans, medium roasted coffee beans, leather and medium oak with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with butterscotch pudding along with fruits of baked apples and orange zest followed by a high mouth drying spice that slowly fades to blonde espresso, ginger, cloves, leather and medium oak with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with blonde roast espresso, dark chocolate covered pecans, apple chips, orange peel, burnt whole cloves, ginger, leather and medium oak. Overall, this seems youthful with an astringent nose masking those traditional bourbon notes followed by a taste that starts pleasantly with butterscotch and citrus before gravitating towards a high drying spice that seems like a mouthful of cinnamon and black pepper before finally fading into a pleasant medium length finish with some light coffee and traditional bourbon notes. I think this was probably bottled too early and would have improved greatly with some more time in the barrel, but still not a terrible pour to enjoy. So what is this mystery whiskey that needs a little more time in that barrel……… Ezra Brooks “Old Ezra” Barrel Strength 7 year. Edit: Turns out I have a second blind sample of this with a square on it and recognized it rather quickly. I added enough water to proof it down to 50% and all the spice and heat faded to reveal a creamy butterscotch with the same notes and a medium burn. This is quite delicious proofed down and keeps up with my Bardstown Goodwood Walnut Brown Ale finish now. 2.5 to 3.75 with water.

Vanilla, oak, liquorish, dried fruit, slight sweet, peppery spicy, long finish

Nose: wood, hard to work past the alcohol Taste: vanilla forward, spice palette, wood comes up with water, candy orange peel?