Compare
Penelope Toasted Series vs Ezra Brooks 99
Penelope Toasted Series and Ezra Brooks 99 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, rye-forward blend versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | Ezra Brooks 99 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$22 – $28 ~$38 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
Penelope Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series Ezra Brooks 99
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
fruit 4/2 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
- 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 Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish 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, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99).