Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon

I’d like to thank the folks at Maker’s Mark for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

It is officially September. The time of year where I take half of a month off and go on vacation just as the bourbon news is heating up for the year. (Can you tell that this isn’t a profit driven enterprise?) September is a wonderful month for my wife and I. Both of our birthdays and our wedding anniversary happen within a week of one another. And as I mentioned previously, we also go on vacation to celebrate another trip around the sun with one another.

So what’s the plan for BourbonGuy.com? Well, not much will change. I’m writing ahead, so the posts may be a little shorter and may be down to once per week while I’m gone. I’m covering everything that the whiskey fairy delivered prior to vacation so that the news is still fresh and timely. But I’m also deep into vacation mode so…yeah.

Let’s get started on the first one. This is a bourbon that I’ve been looking forward to ever since I saw the press release come across my desk a few weeks ago. I’m a big Maker’s Mark fan. I’ve been an Ambassador for years. In fact, I often say that Maker’s is really the only Wheated Bourbon that I consistently like. Others are either mood-dependent or just don’t hit right.

I’m a huge fan of Maker’s at 101 proof. The Cask Strength is also on my shelf fairly regularly. I’ve found the Private Select bourbons and their Special Releases to be hit or miss, but I always enjoy the Maker’s 46 and the rest of the core lineup. I say all that to let you know where I am coming from with this. I never realized that there was a hole in the Maker’s Mark experience prior to learning about tonight’s Bourbon, Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged. But once I heard of an extra-aged version of Maker’s, well that hole was glaring. I needed to try it.

But before we talk about what I thought of the Bourbon, Let’s give Maker’s a change to speak for themselves.

To become Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, barrels of the distillery’s classic distillate first spend approximately six years aging in traditional bourbon warehouses, where they endure the Kentucky climate and its temperature swings season after season until they reach full maturity and can be called “Maker’s Mark.” Barrels are then moved into the distillery’s proprietary whisky cellar for an additional five to six years of aging before being blended to taste and bottled. Built into the natural limestone shelf of the Kentucky hills, the cellar’s consistently cool environment slows down the tannic impact that occurs during maturation, while allowing the bourbon to develop a deeper, darker flavor with hidden depths, but no bitterness. Cellar Aged will be an annual, limited release available in specific markets around the world. The unique maturation approach of Cellar Aged will be consistent every year, but the specific blend of aged bourbon will vary based on which barrels are ready, by taste. The inaugural release of Cellar Aged is a marriage of 12-year-old and 11-year-old whisky – 87% and 13%, respectively – bottled at cask strength (115.7 proof). Cellar Aged will be available for a suggested retail price of USD $150.00 in the United States in September 2023; in London, Munich and select Global Travel Retail accounts in October 2023; and in Tokyo and Singapore in early 2024. 

Ok now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s dig in.

Maker's Mark Cellar Aged

Purchase Info: This review sample was provided at no cost but the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $150 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $10

Details: 57.87% ABV. 11-12 years old.

Nose: Cocoa powder, leather, caramel, vanilla, and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, stone fruit, caramel, cocoa, leather, vanilla, and oak

Finish: Long and warm with notes of cinnamon, oak, and a chocolate caramel that transitions to vanilla.

Thoughts: This is really good. I personally think that it is a bit too hot to drink neat, but it takes a splash of water well. Water tames the heat, but retains most of the flavor notes while also bringing out a touch of mint. I've been a Maker's Mark Ambassador since 2011 and have had a lot of Maker's over the years. This is probably in the top two or three Maker's products that I've tasted. If I see this, I will probably “have to” pick up a bottle. But due to the cost, I will have to do some mental gymnastics to justify it to myself too.

Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch (tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, 2023 Release, BEP

This sample was provided by Maker’s Mark for review purposes with no strings attached.

As you probably know, my wife and I are a team when it comes to tasting notes. The notes are a combination of what we are each tasting. We discuss the differences, and if need be, they are pruned down or just combined if we don’t come to a consensus on what we are tasting. For example, you will often see the “almond” tasting note in our notes. Due to food allergies, I have no idea what an almond tastes like. But she has explained that the slightly “off” cherry/bubblegum note I often get tastes a lot like almond.

One of the reasons that we do this together (other than it being a fun hobby that we share) is for quality control purposes. Anyone who does tastings understands that sometimes things just aren’t hitting right. Either one of us has allergies flaring up or a cold, there is a smell in the house that is throwing things off (dogs or cooking usually), or we had something to eat earlier that is just hanging around longer than we thought it would. But by doubling up, we can decide if one of us is having an off day and postpone if needed.

But last night, as we were doing the tasting for tonight’s article, we both realized that what we were tasting was really bad. Out-of-character bad for a brand as big as Maker’s Mark. We each wondered if we were having an off night, but we were both getting the same bitter notes as the other. So we took our notes and prepared to write a poor review of the most recent release in the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series. Here is a snippet of what I was writing for my thoughts:

Ok. So the first tasting of this is so bad, that I'm thinking the problem might be me. I really do not like this. It is bitter, tannic, and astringent. I'm going to have to give this another taste before we can write this. Something is really wrong.

Luckily Maker’s Mark sent two decanted samples instead of the one that I often get from other producers. I have no problem getting samples of whatever size that people feel like sending me. I don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. But in this case, if they would have only sent the one small bottle, they would have gotten a very poor review. After opening the second, we determined that there was something wrong with the first bottle. It was bitter and astringent in a way no Maker’s I’ve ever tasted had been. This is also why we try to do more than one tasting whenever we have the ability to do so.

So enough of the “trials” of a whiskey taster. Let’s get on to the actual tasting. What is the Barrel Finishing Series, and what is BEP?

The Barrel Finishing Series is a line of Limited Release Maker’s Mark Bourbons that use finishing staves to accentuate the flavors that are present in standard Maker’s Mark. In this case, BEP references Barrel Entry Proof. The lower entry proof that Maker’s Mark employs (110° proof) is one of the elements that Maker’s thinks make them special. And maybe it does. I have yet to taste a Maker’s product using the industry standard 125° entry proof, so I don’t know. Here is what they have to say about BEP:

As the fifth and final limited-edition in this chapter of the Wood Finishing Series, the 2023 Limited Release: BEP was crafted to amplify the balanced wood sugars, softer tannins and lasting finish that can be attributed to the signature Maker’s Mark 110 barrel entry proof. Ten Virgin Toasted American Oak finish staves were used to amplify notes of vanilla and sweet spice that naturally occur from this lower barrel entry proof.

Maker’s Mark always found that using a lower entry proof for its classic bourbon delivered more flavor, smoothness, and better quality. While higher entry proofs can yield more bourbon, the brand has always prioritized staying true to its original taste vision. Though distillers have been permitted to raise barrel entry proofs from 110 to 125 since 1962, Maker’s Mark remains the only major distillery from that time to have kept its BEP at 110. This exciting release makes it clear as to why using an innovative finishing approach that enhances the flavor profile and natural characteristics that come directly from the barrel.

So now that we know what they were trying to accomplish and I have tasting notes that aren’t based on a flawed sample, let’s dig in and see how it really tastes.

Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, 2023 Release, BEP

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 ml): $4.67

Details: Cask Strength, ranging from 108° to 114° proof. (I’m guessing that the sample in the photo above cribbed text from a standard sample label, and the person who typed it up forgot to update that part.)

Nose: Dusty oak, red fruit, vanilla, and caramel.

Mouth: Red fruit, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, and black tea.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Notes of cinnamon, black tea, toffee, and almond.

Thoughts: This is pretty tasty. It is spicier than standard Maker's, with more emphasis on baking spices and fruit. Standard Maker's shows more notes of almond and sweetness. I really like this. "Maker's with more spice" is one of my favorite flavor profiles. It's why I buy Maker's Cask Strength and have a stash of 6 bottles of Maker’s 101 up in the whiskey closet. If you see this and can swing it, I'd give this one a taste, especially if you are a Maker's Mark fan.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported by your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021: FAE-01

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Maker’s Mark for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached. In the meantime, I found this at retail. Tasting notes are taken from the retail purchase.

IMAGE: a 750 mL bottle of the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, 2021 Limited Release: FAE-01

I’m not going to lie to you. As I am trying to write this, I have one eye on CNN awaiting word on a very important verdict. As such, I am quite distracted and am having a hard time writing anything coherent. So because of that, I am going to do something I don’t like to do and quote heavily from the press release in this post.

But first, let’s talk about what we are tasting tonight. It is the third release in the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, and the first of two this year. This Spring release will be followed by a Fall version of the same. It was created using a similar process to Maker’s 46 and the Private Selection program where they take standard Maker’s Mark bourbon and then add 10 specially crafted staves and add them to the inside of the barrel. I’ve enjoyed both of the last two very much and anticipate enjoying this one as well.

Here’s what the company has to say about this release.

“Every whisky in our Wood Finishing Series is meant to have a strong point of view; it should tell a story about what we do at the distillery,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “For 2021 we wanted to use wood to draw out those underlying bold qualities of classic Maker’s® that we get from non-chill filtration – heavy oakiness, earthy fig and that creamy, palate-coating mouthfeel. 

The first 2021 Limited Release, FAE-01, uses an American oak stave that is seared on one side and left raw on the other to amplify some of the signature dried fruit and oak flavors that Maker’s Mark is known for. The classic Maker’s Mark® Bourbon derives these tasting notes from naturally retained elements of barrel char and organic compounds called fatty acid esters (FAEs), which are responsible for both fruity tones and texture variations. Each side of the FAE-01 stave draws out different characteristics of these two flavor components – the charred side offers dark leathery tobacco notes, and the raw side yields fresh fruit, the two of which come together to create intense barrel-aged fruitiness. While 2021 Limited Release: FAE-01 focuses on drawing out specific flavors, 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02, arriving later this year, will be defined by its rich, weighty texture.  

“This first release tastes just like a Kentucky barrel warehouse smells,” says Bowie. “If you’ve ever walked through a rick house and taken a deep breath, you can almost taste the bourbon in the air, and that’s the experience we’ve created with FAE-01. There’s tons of pleasantly dank wood and tobacco on the nose, and rich, warm raisin and fig on the tongue – it’s literally like sipping on angel’s share.” 

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series, 2021 Limited Release: FAE-01

Purchase Info: $64.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Super One Liquor, Duluth, MN. The suggested retail price is $59.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33 at my purchase price. $4.00 at MSRP.

Details: 55.3% ABV.

Nose: Toffee, oak

Mouth: Nice spice, toffee, cinnamon, cocoa, and oak.

Finish: Spicy and warm. Lingering notes of toffee, dusty cocoa, and oak.

like-vector.png

Thoughts: This is very wood-forward bourbon. Water brings out more fruit and cocoa notes. There is a nice spiciness throughout. This might almost have too much barrel influence for me. It is trending toward muddiness. That said, I will still happily enjoy the occasional pour out of the bottle I bought when the mood for a wood-forward bourbon strikes me. I like this, but not as much as I had anticipated or hoped. But then, I'm not a huge fan of oaky bourbons preferring my bourbons to be a bit more balanced between oak and other flavors. Since they were hoping to replicate the experience of walking through a barrel warehouse, I’d say that they accomplished their goals.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker’s Mark Private Selection Program: The New Roasted French Mendiant Stave

I’d like to thank Maker’s Mark for providing the sample kit for the new stave with no strings attached.

So, Maker’s Mark has decided to tweak the Private Select program. They’ve decided to retire the Roasted French Mocha stave and replace it with a new one called Roasted French Mendiant.

When the Maker's Mark Private Select program was first introduced, I wrote a whole article about it. From that post, we know that the Roasted French Mocha is a French oak stave designed to bring dry, dark chocolate, coffee, and char notes to the finished bourbon.

So, you might ask, the names of Roasted French Mocha and Roasted French Mendiant are remarkably similar? What is the difference? That’s a fine question and Maker’s Mark was kind enough to provide the answer along with the samples they sent. Quoting from the press release:

The new stave takes the flavor cues folks have come to know and love from the program’s Mocha stave and expands on them with amplified milk chocolate, buttery nut, deep coffee and dried dark fruit notes. … In introducing Mendiant, we wanted to bring in a new and exciting stave that takes flavor cues from Mocha but enhances even more rich and creamy classic Maker’s Mark® notes. Mendiant, like Mocha, is also a French oak stave with a classic cut but is cooked low and slow vs. high and slow to achieve a delicious new finish.

I was very interested to taste the difference between these two. I haven’t liked every Private Selection I’ve had that included the French Mocha stave, but all of the ones I’ve liked have included it. And I’d never tasted it on its own. So this should be a fun look.

Maker's Mark French Mocha vs French Mendiant

Purchase Info: These are available as part of the Maker’s Mark Private Select Program. They are only available on their own if a participant in the program has elected to go that route with their selection. These samples were sent for review purposes. The suggested retail price for a bottle of Maker’s Mark Private Select is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Mocha

Details: 54.95% ABV

Nose: Strong caramel, vanilla, oak, and chocolate.

Mouth: Caramel, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and a hint of mint.

Finish: Sweet and warm with lingering notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and caramel.

Mendiant

Details: 54.75% ABV

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, chamomile, and hints of oak and mint.

Mouth: Cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, almond, and herbal notes.

Finish: Sweet and warm. Lingering notes of caramel, vanilla, almond, and hints of chamomile.

Thoughts: These are both very good. I'd choose the Mocha personally as I love those chocolate notes. The Mendiant is much spicier while the Mocha is sweeter...

…when neat.

Since Maker's was nice enough to throw a vial of Maker's Cask strength in the package, let's see how each of these does in a 50-50 blend.

The blending definitely changes things up. The noses are very similar with the Mendiant being slightly more herbal. Both, however, are caramel bombs. On the mouth, the Mendiant seems to integrate better than the Mocha. The Mocha stays chocolaty and overpowers the notes from the Maker's Cask Strength. The Mendiant shows as sweeter and has more caramel and herbal notes than the Mocha. Strangely, my favorite has switched when blended with the Maker's Cask Strength. I much prefer the Mendiant in a blend.

Which might be why they are making the change.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

2020 Whiskey Holiday Gift Sets

The Jack Daniel's Tasting Calendar listed below was sent to me by Jack Daniels to help with this post with no strings attached. I thank them for their generosity.

It should come as no surprise that I am a frugal fella. After all, I’ve been married to an accountant for over 25 years. I doubt we would have made it this long if I didn’t tend to pinch pennies. It’s in light of this innate penny pinching that I tend to wander through the Holiday Gift Set aisles of my closest Total Wine.

I mean, I like free stuff. Especially free stuff that comes along with things I might have purchased anyway. And, of course, I did pick up one or two of those gift sets.

But it made me think, “my readers are pretty frugal folks too; I bet they also like free stuff.” And so this post was born. I reached out to my PR contacts to ask one question: “What free things are you giving away with your whiskey this year?” Between the responses to those emails and my own “research” in local liquor stores, I’ve compiled a list of Holiday Gift Sets to keep an eye out for. This is by no means a complete list as some of the companies dind’t respond.

Maker’s Mark

Let’s start with the one that inspired the question. I didn’t get a response to my question from Maker’s, but I found this lovely gift set at Total Wine for $21.99. It includes a 750 mL bottle of Maker’s Mark and two glasses with the Maker’s logo and a “Christmas Sweater” pattern etched into the glass.

Maker’s 46

Maker’s 46 is including a 750 mL bottle of Maker’s 46 and a “Limited Edition” bottle stopper featuring the Maker’s “S IV Star” logo. I’m not sure how useful this item will be, but it is pretty. And might be a fun conversation starter on your home bar. Total Wine is currently selling this for $25.99 in my area.

Four Roses Small Batch

Four Roses is packaging two rose-shaped ice molds along with their Small Batch Bourbon this Holiday season. It is only available in select states but should cost you about the same as a bottle of Small Batch without the gifts (roughly $29.99-$34.99). I kinda wish this was in my area. I can see myself playing with these a time or two before trying to adapt them to a directional freezing set-up...because I’m both a Four Roses fanboy and a tinkerer.

Ezra Brooks

Ezra Brooks is giving you the complete “on the rocks” experience by including an ice mold and a rocks glass along with a 750 mL bottle of their 90 proof Ezra Brooks. I haven’t seen this one locally, but they say it should cost you the same amount as Ezra Brooks would ordinarily. I like that glass (can you tell I have a thing for glasses? You can blame my wife for that.)

Crown Royal Whisky Tasting Calendar

While this isn’t a bottle with free goodies, it is a fun experience for those who like Crown and flavored Crown. This would be perfect for someone like my brother who isn’t a spirits drinker, but likes to take a bottle of Crown Apple out to the ice-fishing shack with him. This would give him four whiskeys that he would probably already like and might entice him to try the other two, that he probably wouldn’t buy on his own. This one is available nationally and MSRP is $44.99.

Crown Royal

This one wasn’t confirmed by the PR people, but I did see it on the shelf this year. It is a 750 mL bottle of Crown Royal and two rocks glasses with the Crown Royal logo on them. My Total Wine has this for $21.99.

Jack Daniel’s Holiday Countdown Calendar

Another one that is less about the "goodies” and more about the experience. Jack Daniel’s was generous enough to send this one over so that I could photograph it myself…and yeah, drink it too. According to the press release:

“The limited-edition calendar features 24 windows designed to reveal a special Jack Daniel’s item on each day leading up the December holidays, making it a perfect gift for whiskey lovers or the centerpiece of a new seasonal tradition. “Surprise” products featured in this year’s calendar include four 50ml bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, three bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, and two bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select. The calendar will also contain premium items, including four shot glasses with various logos from the Jack Daniel’s family of brands.“

This one isn’t available near me but where it is, its suggested retail price will be $79.99.

Jack Daniel’s

Once again, this one was not confirmed by the PR people, but it has a 2020 copyright on it, so I think it is current. If you like yourself a highball made using Jack Daniel’s (whether that is a Jack and Coke or a Jack and something else) then you’ll want to be on the lookout for this one. My Total Wine is selling it for $18.99.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel

I really have no idea if this is from this year. I suspect it may be overstock from last holiday season since it was on an endcap in the Rum section of my local Total Wine. (I took all these photos at Total Wine because they are busy enough that they don’t look sideways at a guy taking images of their stock without buying it.) This one comes with a large “Snifter” sized Glencairn glass with which to enjoy your single barrel of Jack Daniel’s. I’m not personally a fan of Glencairn glasses for drinking whiskey as I prefer the feel of a rocks glass or this one would have come home with me too.

Woodford Reserve

I suspect that this one is also overstock. I didn’t get a response from the Woodford Reserve folks about what they were doing this year, but I know this is the same as last year. I know that because last year, I bought two of them. I bought two because this box only comes with a single glass. But it is a very nice glass and I wanted more than one. It’s one I’ve reached for many times for my evening nightcap. It feels fancy.

So there you have it. These are the ones that you might find on your local shelves this year. I love these things. Mostly because I love whiskey memorabilia almost as much I like whiskey. I sometimes even buy the memorabilia without buying the whiskey. But usually only in a gift shop or an antique store.

Oh, and I did get responses from the folks who handle Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, Old Forester, and Barton/Buffalo Trace that they would not be doing any holiday gift sets this year. Just so that you are aware. Anything else that I missed, is either because it isn’t for sale near me or the PR folks never responded or both. But, that’s ok. This was long enough anyway. I hope you all had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and that you aren’t getting too many Black Friday emails.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Maker’s Mark for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached. Please note that the proof of the provided sample is slightly less than the finished product will be (110.0° proof vs 110.8° proof).

Sooo…I was really dumb. I’m cold smoking some cheese using the A-Maze-N pellet smoker tray inside my new smoker, right? It smolders at a much cooler temp than the lowest temp I can set the smoker itself for. Well, I wasn’t wearing gloves. And when I went to pick up the tray, I used one hand to grab the cold side and then the other to steady the hot side.

Yeah. I have a nice dimple pattern melted into the tips of the thumb and forefinger of one of my left hand. It’ll be a nice reminder to WEAR FUCKING GLOVES from now on. And since it happened just before I set out to write this, I am going to type as little as possible during the review of the new Maker’s Mark Limited Release tonight. Here are a few pertinent quotes from the Press Release.

“Since the introduction of Maker’s Mark 46, wood staves have become our tool of choice for unlocking and amplifying natural flavors already present in our classic Maker’s Mark – always purposefully and with a specific taste vision in mind,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “Where Maker’s Mark 46 was about creating a ‘bolder’ Maker’s, and the 2019 release was all about boosting the notes of baking spice and fruit, our 2020 Limited Release has been a quest to amp up those rich vanilla and buttery-caramel flavors that typically stem from our unique approach to seasoning our barrel wood outside for a full year.” 

This year’s limited offering differs from its 2019 predecessor by utilizing two stave styles – one drawing on vanilla, the other on caramel – that when married together yield a rich Maker’s Mark reminiscent of butter pecan. The multi-stave approach was the result of more than twelve months of experimentation with Maker’s Mark barrel producer Independent Stave Company. The first stave in the 2020 Limited Release, SE4, is made from Virgin French Oak, convection cooked at medium heat with a short toast period and responsible for much of the caramel flavor. The second stave, PR5, is made from Virgin American Oak and convection cooked at low heat very slowly over time to bring out vanilla.

Bottled at 110.8 proof, each 750mL bottle of the Maker’s Mark 2020 Limited Release will retail for a suggested $59.99 and will be available nationwide beginning in September, while supplies last.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

Purchase Price: This was graciously provided by Maker’s Mark for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: 55% ABV (final release proof will be 55.4% ABV). Uses two new staves made from Virgin Toasted American and French Oak (SE4 and PR5, not sure which is which).

Nose: Spearmint, lots of toffee, some oak, and herbal cherry notes.

Mouth: Toffee, herbal cherry, cinnamon, oak, and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. Strong notes of cinnamon along with herbal cherry and nutmeg.

like-vector.png

Thoughts: This is really good. At first, there is just a ton of toffee. The herbal cherry notes threw me at first, but after a couple of sips, those spicy, herbal notes drew me in. Water amps up the sweetness and tames some of the herbal notes, bringing out even more toffee. I really like this one.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.