Old Ezra 7 Year Full Proof Straight Rye

This has been stored for a year, time to open it. Tasting this full proof 7 year Ezra neat. Rich copper color and coating legs in the glass. Aroma is vanilla, dark toast, dry grain cereal, musty grass hay, lightly sweet. Big flash of ethanol and black pepper and oak; then sweet vanilla; then spicy grass, baking spices, and rye. Dry and bold and almost overwhelming in the spice level. But it gives way pretty quickly into a mint and dry grass finish that lingers and is quite nice. Not sweet, no sour aftertaste, just spicy residuals and tingling. Big and bold rye, holding sweetness in check. Actually, drinks better with an ice cube to tone down the ethanol and spice. This is going to mix really well in a rye-forward cocktail like a Manhattan because the high (114) proof and spiciness will hold up to sweet vermouth. That said, at $80, it becomes an expensive mixer. Will revisit this as I give it time and try it in a cocktail or two.

The nose is complex and rich, with raisin, date, furniture polish, black pepper, cocoa nibs, orange peel, dark honey, burnt caramel, and smoke. It's quite unusual for a rye. Some bothersome ethanol detracts from an otherwise first-class experience. The palate is wild; cinnamon, white pepper, toasted almond, nutmeg, crème brûlée, cocoa, barrel char, and oak. The flavors are bold and unrestrained. The finish is incredibly long with a spice bloom of clove, ginger, and allspice. There are also some herbal notes like wintergreen, lemongrass, and anise. Oak provides underlying support. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied but prickly and hot due to unattenuated alcohol. A fantastic mess. Big, bold flavors with numerous flaws. I enjoyed it for its unconventional character; there's nothing else quite like it on the market. At $63, it's a unique and great value.

I’m a fan of Old Ezra 7yr bourbon so decided to purchase this one despite the price tag. The nose makes me think this will be a roller coaster of a whiskey. Sandalwood, walnut, pepper, brown sugar, molasses, bbq baked beans with ethanol fumes. Taste is thick and sweet and all over the map. Spicy like old time ginger-cinammon candy. Apple pie and pepper and oak swimming around in there with vanilla and honey to lighten the darker char spice flavors. Aftertaste is long and hot and spicy - burnt sugar and molasses and oak conclude a wild ride. This bayou bbq rye is on the crazy side but i loved it and will have to test it against my favorites.

The nose has notes of caramel and herbs. The palate is hit with hot pepper that lingers. Along the way, sweet salted caramel, anise, and coffee candies appear. The finish is somewhat bitter. Adding ice diminished the nose but nicely smoothed the palate's rough edges, also bringing out cinnamon. This bottle combines notes from MGP's 95% and 51% ryes, making it quite intriguing. I'm uncertain if the combination is superior to the individual components, though.

Nose: buttery spearmint, floral, curry spice (odd, I know). Palate: rich, full body, spearmint, pumpernickel bread. Finish: drinks lighter than its stated proof, with good warmth. Overall: There are many spirits I've sampled over the past couple of years that I wouldn't buy again. This is not one of them. It's a solid rye I'll keep stocked. I also love the classic bottle and label design; it looks like it could be from a western movie.

Smell: a light, sweet honey with some herbal rye Taste: starts soft and sweet, then blossoms into a strong herbal, minty rye and oak spice. Opens up significantly with a bit of water. Aftertaste: moderate finish - a lingering, warming, slightly bitter rye spice