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Charles Goodnight Bourbon vs Ezra Brooks 99
Charles Goodnight Bourbon and Ezra Brooks 99 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Charles Goodnight Bourbon | Ezra Brooks 99 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +16 proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$75 – $80 | ~$22 – $28 ~$53 less |
- Ezra Brooks 99 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Charles Goodnight Bourbon Ezra Brooks 99
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 6/2 fruit: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
heat 8/5 heat: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
- 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 Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99).