Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2019 RC6

I've long been a fan of the Maker's line. So when they decided to put out their first limited-edition release, naturally, I was interested. Even more so considering it's actually a reasonably-priced, a rarity for LER bourbon. It's a stave experiment, true to Maker's spirit. Let's see what if MM can make a splash with its foray into one-off bottlings. Nose: Huge cinnamon, oak, and leather right off the bat. Clove, nutmeg, and allspice. Quite spicy. Some caramel and milk chocolate. Toffee, red apple, cherry, banana, and a jammy/syrupy sweet note. Raisin and cranberry. Vanilla, brown sugar, and graham cracker. Coffee notes. Massive spice upfront, and with layers of heavy sweetness behind. Palate: Big spice up front once again. Cinnamon, oak, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Cherry, cranberry, raisin, fig, date, raspberry, and red apple. Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, carrot cake. More of that jammy/syrupy note. Unripe banana, which I'm not loving. Dusty. Maintains some of the dessert sweetness from the nose, but not quite as much. Red fruit is turned up from 8 to 10, and the spice is still present. Finish: Red hot. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Caramel, vanilla, coffee. Milk chocolate, brown sugar, and graham cracker. At cask strength, it's no surprise that this is a mighty long finish. Solid effort. Good balance of dessert sweetness and spice and heat. Worthwhile purchase at $57. Is it really breaking ground? No. Would much prefer the Private Select, or even the 46 as a value. There are a few notes that seem off-putting with this one, but for the most part, it does work well together. This one has grown on me. Initially, I wasn't a fan, but I've got to say, there are some pretty unique note combinations at work here. Overall, I like what I'm getting. Definitely not the best Maker's Mark by any means, but if you're curious and are able to spot of these rare bottlings, you'd do well for yourself to grab one of these. 4/5.

The nose is rich with wood and spice. There's a big fullness to the nose that is terrific. The proof really comes through. It reminds me of something like Stagg Jr in smell. The nose definitely has a bit of rye dryness to it. It's a really terrific nose with sweet vanilla and cinnamon galore mixed with a tad of brown sugar. The mouthfeel is thinner than expected. It has a big kick with tons of spice. Some tart cherries come in later. There's lot of rich chocolate with spicy cinnamon mixed with the wood. It's an interestingly spice-forward concoction. There plenty of sweetness though with vanilla and brown sugar. There are some cherry notes, but they aren't exceedingly strong. Their freshness is a bit disappointing. There's something a bit earthy in the wood too that combined with the cherry reminds me of that mushroomy flavor of cherry wood chips. I get where what I interpreted as brown sugar and fresh cherry was interpreted by Distiller as banana and ripe apple. The flavor doesn't quite do it for me, but it's far from bad. This is in the Eagle Rare/Booker's Kitchen Table range. The flavor profile has some good notes with a solid balance, but it's not terribly complex and there's something that rubs me the wrong way a bit. Still. I like it well enough. I might even consider it I stead of Booker's if I thought Booker's had a poor release. It's gets a bit sweet at the end, but that helps to drown out the rye tartness and minerality. Really, it's quite good. It's in the 16 to 17 range.

Very classic, lightly fruited nose with hints of cinnamon, maple syrup and brown sugar. Black pepper coming through after the first taste and that along with the maple and sugar bring bacon to the mind. Earthy with iodine and brine coming through. Hints of mint chocolate too. Chewing tobacco. Very interesting nose. Nice classic and complex medium finish. Compensated for the sometimes off-putting nose. Solid @ $53. Haven’t had the Maker’s 46 to compare @ $35 but I’d prolly pay the premium for this one given the huge breadth of scents and tastes. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

Neat. Opened 6-12 months. I remember loving this when I first opened it but haven’t revisited it in a long time. With the new Maker’s special release coming out I thought it was prudent to go back to this one. Really love the nose on this. It has these bright notes I don’t usually get from various stave combos on the Private Selects. Vanilla buttercream is the first note I get. A thick but not overly sweet buttercream. Behind that is buttery pie crust doused in cinnamon and brown sugar. Caramel covered apples. Strawberries. All of it just smothered in that buttercream note. I still really love the nose on this Maker’s. Nice and creamy texture. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla buttercream on the tongue initially. Transitions hard into the caramel apple and pie crust and leaves the strawberries on the finish and legs. Little oak lingers on the legs as well. Yep, still the best Maker’s I have ever had. They just nailed this release. That vanilla buttercream note is just so good tonight on every sip.

Nose: Cinnamon apple and sweet spices, pleasant and warm. Unfortunately the nose is the real high-lite for this one, while it keeps the sweet heat going through the middle, and the cinnamon spice carries the day, there just isn't much else going on. The dark caramel sugar notes hold up, but I'm looking for more here and just not finding it. Note wise it's a bit on the bland side and may not even offer the variety that standard 46 is consistently great at delivering. The real question is if it is even better than standard 46 which consistently brings bang for the buck. Expect to pay 50% more over normal 46 in most markets, this just doesn't add up for me and that's sad, I was really hoping it wouldn't disappoint. This one is on the low end of the proof at 108 and while not at all bad, for the distillery known for it's great finishing I can safely say pass on it and try for better luck on another wood finish special. Cheers!

Nose - toasted marshmallow, rich caramel, cinnamon, chocolate, nutmeg, banana, black pepper, vanilla, cherry, mint, thyme, sweet oak, cherry, apple, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - cherry, cinnamon, butter, apple, raisin, plum, rich vanilla, caramel, graham cracker, marshmallow, clove, nutmeg, brown sugar, allspice, sweet and spicy oak, cranberry, cocoa, ginger, black pepper, banana, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with rich caramel, cherry, and strong baking spice flavors. This is a bit like s’mores in a glass. There are loads of rich caramel and prominent baking spices. It’s certainly a cut above the Maker’s 46 or me. Overall, this is the best Maker’s product I’ve tried so far and effectively a much more robust version of the standard offering, which is good but reinforces the impression that I just really don’t like the brand’s profile all that much. This is definitely good, but it’s not a fantastic whiskey for me.