I'll be the first to admit it. I am not a huge fan of Maker's Mark. It's not that they don't have a good product, it's just so mainstream, it's hard to get away from it.
Thus, we arrive at BRT-02. Any distillery can slap "Limited Release" on something. That doesn't make it unique. This however, is quite special. I tried it on 3 seperate occasions, and every time, was pleasantly suprised with a different palate and nose.
This bourbon is an absolute conglomeration of flavors. You have a fresh and sweet nose, not too unique, but
pleasant. On the taste though, anything from chocolate to raspberry, maple syrup to baking space, honey to wild flowers. Having tried many honey finished bourbons, or maple finished, this bourbon finishes like any one of them. It's almost like you pick a note, focus on it, and it becomes seamlessly front and center, mingling beautifully with the rest of the flavors as they take a back seat.
The price was a little high for me I'll admit. At $75, I'm not sure if it's totally worth keeping regularly stocked. That being said, it is worth picking up at least once, just for the experience. Maker's tends to be a tad pricey for what you're getting. They always have been. With all that being said though, this bottle shows that high qulaity and price may not always line up, but that does not mean it isn't worth a pour or two.