Tag: Elora Dawson Whiskey Reviews

Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-02 Bourbon Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-02 Bourbon Review

Full Review on 14-March-2023

Maker’s Mark BRT-02 is very much unlike its counterpart, the BRT-01. While the BRT-01 was powerful in both aromas and flavors, the BRT-02 is soft-spoken, containing more subtle tones with pleasant freshness accompanying them.

MAKER’S MARK BRT-02 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-02

– Category: Straight Bourbon Finished with 10 Virgin Oak Staves
– Region: Loretto, KY
– Distillery: Beam Suntory
– Distillery: Maker’s Mark
– Mashbill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: 109.4
– Age: nas
– Filtration: non-chill
– ABV: 54.7% (109.4 Proof)
– NABCA CSC#: 19500
– No batch or bottle number identifiers
– Size: 750 ML
– Price: $59.95
Learn more Maker’s Mark.

ENJOYMENT METHOD

I enjoyed this bourbon neat while listening to miscellaneous music from numerous genres.

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

AROMA

There is a strong whiff of oak in this bourbon when I first smell it, along with some fruity tones. Dark cherries emerge as well as pineapple, lime, and mango. This is already proving to be quite a tropicalbeverage, which is both intriguing and unusual for me, as I am used to warm, deep flavors being dominant. That being said, I can still detect some darker scents, such as browned butter, almost-burnt caramel, and brown sugar. There is also a baking element to this; I can smell sugar cookies and vanilla cake with a sugar glaze frosting. After noting these aromas, I am eager to give this beverage a try.

TASTE
Elora’s Maker’s Mark BRT-02

Feel: It doesn’t immediately burn the mouth when I let it settle on my tongue, and it doesn’t bloom
out from the chest. It rather leaves a comforting warmth all the way through, and after each sip, I am
encouraged to drink some more.
Balance: This bourbon has a very strong oaky and hardy background. Other elements like the fruity,
sugary, and brighter notes are still present, but they more highlight what is going on in the base of the
dram. While I think a strong foundation is great, I think I would like to taste slightly more of all of the
other flavors.
Visual: The color is very similar to that of Flame, and I can clearly see an outline of a crown with small,
thick droplets coming down from it. The legs aren’t as pronounced, but I can tell that they are long,
skinny, and very close to one another.

Immediately, I am greeted by woody and nutty flavors. Sweetened oak is very dominant as well as baked
peanuts and pecans. I do get some of the tropical scents that I detected in the nose, like mango and
pineapple, but they are subtle. One strong taste that I can get that was similar in the aroma is a baking
element. Again, I am able to get a tone of sugar cookies and vanilla cake. There is also a hint of
freshness; some elements of that are cool mint, parsley and cilantro leaves, and, though unusual, cold
mineral water. I am not getting too many spices, but there is some brininess to this. Just as I predicted,
this is a very interesting bourbon, and it leaves me with wanting more.

FINISH

To me, the finish is a medium length to a long one, but only in the feeling. The flavors dissipate first from
the sugary baked goods and fade into a pleasant freshness. I get a lot of the fresh herbs that I listed in
the taste, as well as the oak and nuts, but not so much of the other flavors. The refreshing feeling is what
lingers the most.

SONG CHOICE

“Young Blood” by Noah Kahan1
“October” by Eric Whitacre2

Unlike the Maker’s Mark BRT-01 Bourbon, this drink seems to be much more soft-spoken and mellow.
There are both bright and dark traits to it, but they are softer to me. “Young Blood” by Noah Kahan is a
song that encourages its listeners to try to live life the best that they can rather than just survive the
motions. This song, as of late, has been one I have gravitated to in my dark moments, and it convinces
me to try to find ways to enjoy life as a time for me to always keep learning and growing.

As for the symphonic selection. I went with Eric Whitacre’s tone poem, “October.” It demonstrates not only the warm
tones that can be found in the changing leaf colors, but also the emergence of cooler and brisker weather.

WORTH THE PRICE?

While I do enjoy what this bourbon has to offer, I would be less inclined to spend $60 on this. To me, I feel
like I can find bourbons with similar aromas and flavors for a lower price. I might be convinced to splurge
on it only to compare with its counterpart, the BRT-01, but that’s about it.

GET IT AGAIN?

As I stated in the Worth the Price, it’s a fine bourbon. I could be convinced to get it again – but for
a lower price.

RATING: 86%

To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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ELORA’S MAKER’S MARK BRT-02 BOURBON CITATIONS

1Noah Kahan, “Young Blood”, June 26, 2017, Noah Kahan – Young Blood (Official Video), [YouTube], Album: Busyhead
2Eric Whitacre, “October”, November 8, 2014, October, [YouTube], Album: North Texas Wind Symphony: Passions

Elora and Cream of Kentucky Rye

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Elora and Cream of Kentucky Rye

Original review written June 21, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This rye does not have a lot of sweetness, but earthy elements like bread, herbs, plants, and soil dominate the dram in an intriguing manner.

VITALS:
Elora and Cream of Kentucky Rye

CATEGORY: Bottled-in-Bond Rye
REGION: Middleton, KY
DISTILLERY: Distilled, aged and bottled at Kentucky Artisan Distillery
DISTILLER: Jim Rutledge, former Master Distiller at Four Roses
MASH BILL: 100% Ryman Rye
BARREL CHAR: unpublished
BARREL ENTRY PROOF: unpublished
AGE: 4 years old (minimum)
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 16195
PRICE: $80.45 USD in Idaho

Learn more at J.W. Rutledge Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this rye in my living room along with my sister, Hannah, and my father, Brian, while listening to folk country music.

Check out Hannah’s review for this rye here!

Check out Brian’s review of this rye here!

MUSIC SELECTION:

There is a pastoral element to this rye; earthiness dominates the glass and it is impossible to ignore. A hint of darkness is also present, but it isn’t necessarily morally bad. It exists like a shade of grey that lets the light shine. “House on a Hill” depicts a dystopian reality where the only light and goodness can be found in the innocence that children.

Video found on YouTube.com under The Pretty Reckless Channel from Going to Hell (2014)

The second movement of Dvořák’s From the New World Symphony, strongly linked to the spiritual folk song, “Goin’ Home,” brings a sense of hope for a brighter future and for seeing lost loved ones again.

Video found on YouTube.com. London Philharmonic Orchestra; March 13, 2019 (video published); David Perry, Conductor; The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music, album

NOSE:

Alcoholic heat strikes the nose at first before being quickly dominated by rye, black, and pretzel bread, flour, cooked noodles, oats, malt, sesame seeds, and other assorted grains. There is not a lot of sweetness here except for small hints of raisins, brown sugar, golden delicious apples, butterscotch candies, rich vanilla bean, fig, and artificial grape flavoring. The dram also carries a number of herbal and nutty elements such as pumpkin fruit, green vegetables like cabbage and asparagus, salt-roasted sunflower seeds, pistachios, cashews, and potting soil. Savory flavors like black pepper, butter, and seasoned spaghetti squash, are also present.

PALATE:
Elora and Cream of Kentucky Rye

Feel: The drink is not abnormally hot. It freshens the mouth and almost cleanses it. A familiar alcoholic burn is present, but is not overwhelming.
Balance: All of the flavors of bread and nuttiness blend very well, and it is easy for the drinker to distinguish flavors.
Visual: The color leans towards mahogany, but one could make the argument that the color is terracotta pot; long legs stain the glass like the windows of a church and a very defined crown is visible.

Just like in the nose, grainy and earthy flavors swiftly dominate the palate. Rye and whole wheat bread is easily noticeable along with oats, alfalfa hay, sesame seeds, blended peanuts and sunflower seeds, petrichor, and bibliosmia.

There are also savory elements such as cooked ranch-style and black beans, maple bacon, salted butter, butter-seasoned eggs, baked potato, spicy spaghetti sauce including meat flavors. Again, sweetness is not really a noticeable element. If one were to try to perceive any of these tastes in this category, they might detect a nutty pie, like butter pecan, boxed red wine, and raisins. One particular and uncommon taste is worth noting, and it is one that resembles the scent of an old, musky piano. When snuffing this flavor out, I was reminded of the times I would be playing the clarinet or piano in a small practice room at the university I attended.

FINISH:

The finish has a medium length of time, only lasting for about five whole seconds at most. The flavors explode in the palate before quickly declining into a gentle heat in the chest. Fruit leather, rye bread, oats, and baked potatoes dominate the aftertaste while subtle hints of spaghetti sauce, fresh tomatoes, banana bread, malt, and golden delicious apples can also be detected.

BUY AGAIN / WORTH THE PRICE:

The rye is an intriguing dram, but a price of $80 for this is an expensive offer, especially since it lacks the sweetness factor that I enjoy in whiskey. Therefore, I would have to say that for me, it is not worth the price.

I personally would not get this again. However, if it were offered at a gathering where there were sides of bread and cheese, I would happily go for it.

ELORA AND CREAM OF KENTUCKY RYE RATING: 82 / 100

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