The second in Maker’s wood finishing series benefits from the addition of virgin toasted American oak (PR5) and virgin French oak (SE4) staves. The nose is chewy and sweet with caramel, manuka honey, milk chocolate, and wintergreen. The wood influence is right out in front, with plenty of toasty oak and cedar pencil sprinkled with sweet vanilla and caramelized sugars. The lively palate serves up candied nuts and heaps of taffy-like vanilla sweetness, coupled with some mature varnish.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2020)

An impressive nose of cedar cigar box, sweet cornbread crusts, leathery oak, and sweeping vanilla introduce this decadent whiskey. On the palate, the prolific oak offers lots of tobacco, dark chocolate, and sassafras draped over sweet dark berries and coupled with bold baking spices. Coffee, charred oak, and more bitter chocolate linger long on the finish. Water serves well to tame the heat. Finished with the addition of ten toasted RC6-profile staves in the barrel.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2020)

Maker’s Mark has resisted the rampant experimentation that defines some distilleries, but they appear to be making up for lost time with two 2021 releases in their Wood Finishing Series, which started in 2019. This release is enhanced by an American oak stave that has been toasted on only one side then added to the barrel. This innovation amps up the oak influence without going overboard. Fresh-sawn oak, earthiness, leather, and iced tea are balanced by caramel apple, toffee, and baking spice. A flavor-packed, oak-driven bourbon that wears its proof well. (ABV varies) Number 2 in the 2021 Top 20

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2021)

This is what I wish the standard Maker’s Mark would be: more mature, spicier, more complex, and with a richer finish. Caramel kissed with honey provides a base for marzipan, cotton candy, cinnamon, clove, and a balancing leather dryness on the finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2014)

The nose offers bold notes of cocoa powder, brown sugar, peanuts, licorice, cherry pie, vanilla ice cream, and baking spice. The palate is creamy, with chocolate fudge, almonds, and shortbread, along with earthier notes of drying oak, old leather, and tobacco leaf. Cracked walnuts on the finish, along with almonds, chocolate, toasted oak, orange, and tea leaves. Lots of sweetness, spice, and nuttiness, all ringed by a hint of black pepper. (12,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2020)

The original Maker’s Mark, tried and true, and the same since the 1950s. The nose is consistent with a flare on the floral, toffee and caramel, roasted almonds, and loads of vanilla. Just when you think you’ve tasted this a million times, it offers candied fruit and pie crust with the final touches of praline and a hint of pecan shell.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Spring 2016)

Aromas of cooked cherries and plums, caramel, cocoa powder, tiramisu, toasted tobacco leaves, cut grass, and pulled taffy create a heady first impression. In the mouth, it’s silky and somewhat light, with notes of peanut, walnut shell, cherry cough drops, cinnamon, black pepper, and cigar wrapper. The finish is short and leathery, with espresso, cocoa powder, and bitter almond.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2019)