Category: Wheated Whiskey

Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon Review

Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon offers an explosion of scents and flavors that is bound to attract almost all bourbon novices and experts. I hope you all enjoy my review on this wonderful drink.

MAKER’S MARK BRT-01 VITAL STATS:
Maker's Mark BRT-01 Bourbon

– Category: Straight Bourbon Finished with 10 Virgin Toasted Oak Staves
– Region: Loretto, KY
– Distillery: Beam Suntory
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark
– Mashbill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– Age: nas
– Filtration: non-chill
– ABV: 54.7%
– NABCA CSC#: 19499
– Release Date: Fall 2022
– Size: 750 ML
– Price: $59.95

Learn more at Maker’s Mark.

ENJOYMENT METHOD

I enjoyed this bourbon neat with my father and sister while listening to acapella covers of popular music.

Check out Brian’s review here
and Hannah’s review here!

AROMA

There is so much to offer with this bourbon. Fruity tones, such as chocolate-covered cherries and coconut shavings and orange and lime zest, provide a nice vibrancy. There are also several sugary notes, like maple sugar, caramel, baked blueberries, saltwater taffy, gingerbread, and cane sugar. In addition, there are notes of sweet smoke and oak, peppercorn, salt, peanuts, corn, and nutmeg. All I can really say is, “Wow, wow, wow!” I truly hope it will be just as tasty as what I am smelling.

TASTE

Feel: It feels like a comforting warmth in the mouth. It is smooth and viscous, but it doesn’t really bloom in the chest; it just settles there until it dissipates.
Balance: This has such a great balance. I am able to get flavors out of nearly all of the categories of our bourbon wheel, and I don’t really feel like any of these are overpowering each other.
Visual: To me, the color resembles that of mahogany. When I look at the glass, I can see big, fat, long legs and droplets as well as a faint outline of a crown.

Maker's Mark BRT-01 Bourbon

The taste is different from what I got in the aroma, but it still impresses me. The initial flavors I get are more on the nutty side; peanuts, browned butter, and salted sunflower seeds emerge quickly. After this, I get a lot of sweeter tones, such as caramel, honey, berry cobbler, cherry, vanilla, browned sugar, and maple syrup. There are also a few hints of salt, crackers, and peppercorns.

I want to mention, this bourbon is unlike any that I have ever had. If there was a drink that I could compare to each season of a year, it would be this. Not only do I detect numerous flavors that one could find in spring and summer, but I can also find cooler tones, such as mint and pine. I know it sounds a bit abstract, but honestly, there’s no other way I can truly describe this. This is just a perfect beverage to have in any part of the year.

FINISH

As intricate and powerful these aromas and tastes are, the finish for me doesn’t last as long. It grows in the mouth, going from warm to hot, and settles in the chest, but dissipates after a short to moderate amount of time. The specific flavors that I get are mostly deep fruits, dark sugars, charred woods, and cool earth. My mouth feels refreshed after the flavors fade out, and I am more than eager to take another sip.

SONG CHOICE

“IV. Allegro con fuoco” from Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, B. 178 From
the New World2

There were so many elements to this bourbon. It had so much to offer, and so much to show. Therefore, I wanted to choose a couple of powerful soundtracks that would fit it. Both “Unstoppable” and “IV. Allegro con fuoco” have powerful and motivating melodies and harmonies. I hope you enjoy this strong drink while listening to these equally strong songs.

WORTH THE PRICE?

This powerhouse of a bourbon for just short of $60? Absolutely! This is a very fair price, and I would be more than happy to splurge on it to keep it on my shelf.

GET IT AGAIN?

I would most certainly get this again. This bourbon, to me, was like a work of art. There were so many elements, so many colors. Every time I went in to smell and taste the bourbon, it was different.

RATING: 96%

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ELORA’S MAKER’S MARK BRT-01 CITATIONS

1The Score, “Unstoppable, July 15th, 2016, The Score – Unstoppable (Official Audio), The Score (YouTube Channel), Album: Carry On
2Antonín Dvořák, “IV. Allegro con fuoco” from Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, B. 178 From the New World, December 28, 2017, Gustavo Dudamel Dvorak Symphony no 9 4th movement Allegro con fuoco, Pablo Sallato (YouTube Channel)

Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon Review

Posted on by Dave Macdonald

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon Review

Original review written on April 12, 2023

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This is what bourbon should be, plain and simple. For someone who loves fruit in bourbon, this Marker’s Mark offering is an absolute home run. If it’s possible to find, you’ve got to try! 94/100

VITALS:
Maker's Mark BRT-01 Review

– Made in: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distillery: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Straight Bourbon with Special Finish
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted Barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 54.7% (109.4 proof)
– Non-chill filtered
– Finishing Staves: 10 virgin toasted oak staves added to the barrel, which is then given an extra eight weeks of maturation
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho (November 2022)

“2022 marks the fourth year Maker’s has produced the Wood Finishing Series. Each year has had a unique taste vision. This year the two releases focus on barrel rotation (cycling rackhouse location). The goal is to distinguish and enjoy the unique flavors found on the top floors while comparing them to barrels stored lower in the warehouse.

Since 1953, Maker’s consistent flavors have been credited to the hand-Barrel RoTation process. Top barrels in the rickhouse are brought to the bottom, and each level is then raised to ensure equal exposure to varying temperatures over time. The designation “BRT” for this year’s releases comes from this practice.

BRT-01 comes from the top (hotter) space of the rickhouse. American oak staves are inserted into the barrels to develop big and bold flavors extracted from the barrels during the first three years of aging.” – Maker’s Mark

Visit makersmark.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For this Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Review, I enjoyed the whiskey neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, Elora, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages editor, Brian.

Check out Brian’s review here, and Elora’s here!

SETTING:

This bourbon practically IS fruit syrup. It makes me want to pour it over a fruit cup and just bask in it and pretend I’m being extra healthy. This bourbon screams luxury and decadence, and prettily sliced fruit layered in intricate patterns and BRT-01 are a match made in heaven.

Photo by Hans Reniers on Unsplash

NOSE:

Maker’s Mark products are often classified by a smooth inhale with dark fruits coming to greet you. BRT-01, instead, starts with a punch of brown sugar and cinnamon. Behind these baking spices, is a rich vanilla custard and even a maraschino cherry, which isn’t something I frequently find on a nose. I can find a sweet maple buried in a new oak as well, adding almost a sunny warmth. The alcohol is gentle, even being at nearly 110 proof. It’s a nose that makes me salivate – more than most whiskeys do.

PALATE:
Maker's Mark BRT-01 Review

– Mouth Feel: Velvet. It grips the tongue in a hug, but you are certainly running with the “soft” grain of the velvet.
– Balance: Fruit heavy. You have to search for other profiles, and it might difficult… but it will be there.
– Visual: Terracotta pot in color, the crown shatters quickly into droplets. What’s left are long, clinging legs that break into scattered droplets.

– Taste: The start of the sip – and truly, I only mean the very start – contains the wheaty grain, but it transitions so quickly into a maraschino cherry that’s been soaked in fruit syrup. There’s a bright acidity here as well, like the pineapple that could be found in the fruit cup next to that cherry. A light vanilla appears for a moment, but the hero of this palate really is the fruit. (Readers who know me: I bet you can sense my pure glee at this moment). There’s yellow-fleshed peach that fades into almonds ever-so-slightly.

I will say that the complexity is slightly lacking here – fruit is dominant from start to finish, and if that’s your favored profile, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bourbon doing it better than BRT-01. If you want heavy spice, or oak, you’ll have to hunt. Nevertheless, you can still find those things underneath the fruit. The oak is new, much like it was on the nose. New like it was just milled and the moisture hasn’t seeped out yet. The spices consist largely of ones to use when baking, like nutmeg.

A Kentucky chew aggravates the vanilla, which makes me salivate even more. It doesn’t particularly hurt, and I quickly give into the temptation to do it again.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium-long. Heat lingers on the tongue and bourbon warmth persists everywhere.
– Between Sips: A nearly burnt caramel appears between sips accompanied by one or two sour cherries.

– No More: This stays consistent throughout the glass – in fact, it even gets better. The warmth grows without seeming to peak, and it’s easy to fall into a fruit haze. It’s an incredibly impressive pour, and as soon as I set the glass down, I want another sip.

The empty Glencairn is a warm sawdust, as if it was freshly milled and the heat of the saw is still present. There’s more spice in the empty glass than there was in the original pour, but I am still perfectly content. A great pour finishing with a great empty glass…. when is the next pour?

WORTH THE PRICE?

I wish there were more of these bottles available now. It’s an easy decision – if you see this bottle on the shelf, then you need to grab it. It’s a great addition to the Wood Finishing Series from Maker’s, and it could very well be the best. $60.00 gets you exactly what a bourbon should be without breaking the bank too hard.

MAKER’S MARK BRT-01 REVIEW RATING: 94/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 94/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Elora’s Horse Soldier Reserve

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Elora’s Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon Review

original review written September 12, 2022

ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This bourbon is unlike anything I have ever had before; it brings nutty and savory notes along with sweeter tones accompanying it. Overall, it offers a warming darkness that encompasses the dram and comforts the drinker.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Elora's Horse Soldier Reserve

– Catagory: Wheated Bourbon
– Region: St. Petersburg, FL
– Distillery*: American Freedom Distillery
* Distilled by and stored in Ohio at Middle West Spirits
– Mash Bill: 70% corn (yellow dent), 20% wheat (soft red winter), 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– Age: nas
– ABV: 61% (122 Proof)
– Price: $65.85 (Montana, Summer 2022)

Immediately following [the 9/11] attacks on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region’s inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts [difficult] and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers,” all these brave men are honored today by America’s Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City. [In addition,] our bottles … are molded with World Trade Center steel.

— American Freedom Distillery

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this bourbon alongside my sister, Hannah, and father, Brian, while listening to folk country music.

Click Hannah and Brian to learn their views!

MUSIC SELECTION FOR HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON:

Music is a big part of my life, both playing and listening and there are many songs I love. As I appreciate a bourbon, songs compliment the dram. The following pieces came to mind as I sipped this pour.

“God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood
– Lee Greenwood; July 1, 2021; Lee Greenwood, leader; You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’, album

The Planets, Op. 32, No. 2 “Venus: The Bringer of Peace” by Gustav Holst.
– Chicago Symphony Orchestra, January 19, 2019; James Levine, conductor

September 11, 2001 was a tragic date in American history. On that day, planes intentionally destroyed the World Trade Center, killing nearly three thousand people. Personally, I have no memories of this traumatic event because I was a toddler when it happened, but I still feel sorrow for those affected by it. I do, however, remember the stories told by my parents, many of which involve people in our hometown having signs say, “Honk if you love America,” or of people consoling one another on the streets.

I wanted to choose a song that encompassed this patriotic appreciation of my country for this modern music selection, hence the reason I selected “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood. As I am writing this, I also wish to take this time to thank all of the soldiers, first responders, and everyone else involved for their service during and following the events of 9/11.

As for the orchestral choice, I chose Gustav Holst’s No. 2, “Venus: The Bringer of Peace” from his The Planets, Op. 32 because I was able to attribute each of the warm flavors to the strings and winds. There are a lot of hardy and slow-moving low notes from the string basses and cellos that bring a sense of calm while the high, ethereal chords from high winds and strings chime in with hope and happiness.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON AROMA (17/20):

When I first smell this, I get a lot of wheat bread, which is no surprise, considering how wheated the bourbon is. Sweet notes are evident in this as well, taking up the majority of the scent. Toasted marshmallow, sugar cane, and French vanilla ice cream can be detected. I am having a hard time getting wood out of this since the bread and sugary sweetness seem to overpower this category, but I can track down a hint of char. There are some fruits that I can get out of the dram, such as apricots, peaches, pomegranate, and rainier cherries, as well as a few savory spices, like peppercorn, parsley, and oregano. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and buttered pecans should also be worth mentioning because they seem to offer a briny tint to the aroma.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON FEEL, BALANCE, VISUAL (14/15):
Elora's Horse Soldier Reserve

– Feel (5/5): It is a rather mellow bourbon when I first sip it. There is heat, for sure, but it is more of a pleasant warmth that settles well in the palate and stomach. It also is a bit creamy and leaves a comforting tingle in its wake.
– Balance (4/5): The taste of this tends to lean heavily on the nutty side rather than sweet, but it is not unwelcomed. All the flavors overall blend nicely into a hardy glass of bourbon that offers a complex array of darker flavors.
– Visual (5/5): I can easily see a thin crown outlining the glass with varying lengths of legs. Big, thick droplets cling to the glass as they slowly trickle down. The color is somewhere around auburn and flame, but I am more inclined to agree to it being the latter.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON TASTE (22/25):

The taste is quite different from the scent in that I’m not getting nearly as many sweet notes. In fact, I would say I get more savory elements. Sesame and olive oil, toasted corn, toasted rye bread, sunflower seeds, baked beans, pecans, peppercorn, and fennel seeds can be found in this. I do get hints of marshmallow, sweet cream, and caramel, which does help bring a welcomed sweetness. One taste that is worth mentioning is one of honey nut cheerios or the flavors of the Luckies in the cereal, Lucky Charms. As for fruity tones, I get pomegranate, pears, and cranberries.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON FINISH (19/20):

The feeling lingers on the palate for about a half a minute, but the actual flavors dwindle after a short period of time. For me, more nutty flavors like pecans and sunflower seeds linger longer than any of the sweeter ones, but I am able to get a bit of vanilla, marshmallow, brown sugar, and cranberries. Rye and wheat bread, popcorn, and char are also evident.

WORTH THE PRICE / BUY IT AGAIN (18/20):

– Value (8/10): Honestly, $65.85 to me seems like a pretty big ask. I liked it very much, but it is not a bourbon that I would pay this kind of price for.
– Purchase (10/10): I quite enjoyed it, and the savory notes were unexpected, yet pleasant. If it were offered elsewhere at a cheaper price, I would gladly reach for it again.

ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON RATING (90/100):

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ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON REVIEW
written June 2022 by Elora Dawson
Reviewer, Writer, WhiskeyfortheAges.com

Each review will include a couple musical excerpts; one representing my musical career in a classical setting, and the other from more mainstream genres. I hope you enjoy your whiskies with my music selections!