Compare
Booker’s vs Ezra Brooks 99
Comparing Booker’s and Ezra Brooks 99 reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and a blender-built, even-keeled bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Ezra Brooks 99 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +26 proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$22 – $28 ~$73 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s and Ezra Brooks 99 do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Ezra Brooks 99
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 10/5 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
nuttiness 8/5 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
fruit 4/2 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Ezra Brooks 99: A high-proof value bottle from Lux Row. The nose is quiet, but the palate is bolder, with creamy caramel, brown sugar and a nutty, peanut-like edge.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Ezra Brooks 99 if you want a high-proof, nutty, caramel-forward everyday bourbon at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99).