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

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– Barrel Char: unpublished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 World
2

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%

Back to…
Elora’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

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)

Elora’s Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon Review

Elora’s Old Forester 100 Proof Review Summary

S01E02 Podcast Review recorded 11-March-2023
Full Review on 14-March-2023

While not heavy on oak or nutty flavors, Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon is very sweet, both in the nose and palate. Sugars, fruits, and earthy flavors pleasantly dominate the drink.

OLD FORESTER 100 PROOF VITAL STATS:
Elora’s Old Forester 100 Proof

– Category: Kentucky Bourbon
– Region: Louisville, KY, USA
– Distillery: Brown-Forman
– DSP#: KY-414
– Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Age: nas
– Filtration: Chill-filtered
– ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
NABCA CSC#: 16396
– No batch or bottle number identifiers
– Size: 750 ML
– Price: $25.95 (Idaho, Spring 2023)

Learn more at Old Forester Products.

ENJOYMENT METHOD

I enjoyed this bourbon neat with my father and sister while listening to choral arrangements of popular songs.

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

AROMA

There is a slight burn when smelling this, which is surprising to me because I would expect the burn to come from a higher proof bourbon or rye. There are many sweet notes that come with the heat, such as vanilla, brown sugar, light caramel, and a candy flavor—particularly the flavor of a purple skittle. Fruits emerge as well, like maraschino cherries, candied oranges, and fruit punch. I am unable to get any nutty tones, but I can get both spices and earthy ones. Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, leather, roses, and sweet grasses are evident. As for baked goods, I can get hints of cherry turnovers, graham crackers, smoked marshmallows, and wheat bread. Overall, I can guess that this is going to be both a sweet and fruity bourbon—very exciting!

TASTE

Feel: In the mouth, it feels much more like water than other bourbons that I have; there is not much viscosity with this one. However, it settles very nicely in the chest and the warmth has a long-lasting bloom.
Balance: The bourbon is both fruit and earth-heavy. The flavors blend nicely with one another, but it doesn’t have a typical oak foundation. The sweet tones from the aroma come through faintly, but you have to hunt for them.
Visual: The color is somewhere between auburn and flame. There is a faint outline of a crown with long, skinny legs dripping down from it.

Elora’s Old Forester 100 Proof

Upon first tasting this, I didn’t get the sweet notes like I was expecting. Instead, I got many more earthy notes and an overwhelming bread flavor, particularly that of wheat. Grass not only became a more predominant flavor, but it also brought a hint of pine. There were also hints of sweetened browned butter and dark caramel. After tasting it for a while longer I got some more of the sweet tones that I got in the aroma, like toasted marshmallows, candied oranges, and cherry turnovers.

FINISH

The feeling in the chest lingers for a long time and leaves a pleasant warmth in its wake. As for the taste, I believe it has a long finish as well. It blends from earthy tones to sweet ones, and the sweetness lingers far longer than the earth. Cherry pastries, caramel, and bread are the lasting flavors from this bourbon.

SONG CHOICE

“Yellow” by Coldplay1
Cello Suite No. 1 – “Prelude” by Johann Sebastian Bach2

This bourbon, to me, is very calming and soothing, and therefore, I chose “Yellow” by Coldplay and J.S. Bach’s “Prelude” from his Cello Suite No. 1. The lyrics of “Yellow” encourage me to find the light in my dark moments, while the “Prelude” helps to ground my chaotic emotions with its deep and pleasant chord progressions.

WORTH THE PRICE?

For a price around $25.95? Absolutely! This is another great bourbon to go for, especially when on a budget.

GET IT AGAIN?

I would most certainly get Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon again. I highly enjoyed this, and wouldn’t hesitate to buy it if I saw it on the shelf.

RATING: 92%

To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

Back to…

Elora’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

ELORA’S OLD FORESTER 100 PROOF CITATIONS

1Coldplay, “Yellow”, May 30, 2011, Coldplay – Yellow (Official Video), [Video], Album: Parachutes
2Yo-Yo-Ma, Cello Suite No. 1 “Prelude”, January 14, 2019, Yo-Yo Ma – Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude (Official Video), [Video], Johann Sebastian Bach

WftA Podcast – Full Episode Archive

WftA Podcast – Full Episode Archive


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S04E01 WftA – Benchmark Bonded Bourbon Review
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S04E02 WftA – Pairing Bread with Whiskey
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S04E03 WftA – Is Rye Whiskey Spicy?
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S04E04 WftA – 101 to 110 Proof Whiskies
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S04E05 WftA – Yellowstone American Single Malt
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S04E06 WftA – Dry Fly Distilling
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S04E07 WftA – Whiskey Clubs and Groups with BWE Admin James Johnston
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S04E08 WftA – Whiskey Archaeology: The Glenlivet Distillery
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S04E09 WftA – Whiskey History: Notable Americans 1810 to 1869
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S04E10 WftA – Listener’s Pick … Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Rye Review
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S03E01 WftA – We Review Traveller Whiskey
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S03E02 WftA – Rating Whiskey and the Flavor Wheel
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S03E05 WftA – Comparing Two Rossville Union Barrel Proof Ryes
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S03E06 WftA – Blind Tasting with Greg Walters
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S03E07 WftA – Old Forester Distillery
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S03E08 WftA – Whiskey Tips and Tricks to Help You Enjoy Your Pour
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S03E09 WftA – Whiskey History: Indulgence and Temperance in 18-19th Century America
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S03E10 WftA – Listener Pick … Knob Creek 15 Year Old Review
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WftA PODCAST SERIES 02 SHOWS AND NEWS LINKS

S02E01 WftA – We Review Woodinville Straight Bourbon
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S02E02 WftA – Infinity Bottle Projects
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S02E03 WftA – We Reflect on 30 Bourbons in 30 Days 
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S02E04 WftA – Spotlight on 100 Proof Whiskey
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S02E05 WftA – Whiskey Distribution with Scott and Rachelle Kelch
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S02E06 WftA – Buffalo Trace Distillery
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S02E07 WftA – American Single Malt Whiskey
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S02E08 WftA – Family: Apart but Together
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S02E09 WftA – American Whiskey History: Scandal
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S02E10 WftA – Listener Pick Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17 year old Barrel Proof Review
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S01E01 WftA – Popping the Cork We Sip Larceny Straight Bourbon
S01E02 WftA – We Review Old Forester 100 Bourbon
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S01E03 WftA – How To Taste Whiskey, featuring Eagle Rare
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S01E06 WftA – Heaven Hill Distillery
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S01E07 WftA – Bar Pours, with Greg Walters
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S01E08 WftA – Whiskey Advents and Summer Taste Offs
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S01E09 WftA – The Early Years of American Whiskey
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S01E10 WftA – Listener Pick EH Taylor Barrel Proof Batch 10 Bourbon Review
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