Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2023 BEP

So after my last post, tasting the Robert Burns scotch and ranting about how whisky prices are becoming outrageous, I went out today, the first day these Maker’s BEP bottles were available in my area and bought two bottles for $70 a piece. Is that too much? Nope, even though previous releases were $60, I don’t feel that $70 is too much for the final Finish Series Cask Strength Special Release that Maker’s has planned. I’m sad to see them go, in fact. And I bought two bottles because I either have or have had all of these except the 2019, and every time I’ve opened one of these and finished it, I wished I had bought another to store so I could enjoy it again down the line sometime. Ergo, I bought two of these today to make sure I could do that (the only other I managed to get my hands on a second bottle of was FAE-02). And I’m a little biased. Maker’s is my favorite bourbon from way back, I love the regular Cask Strength, and I love the Finishing Series. So this was a no-brainer. So first off, I think this might be a little darker than most of the others in the Finishing Series. I haven’t actually held the bottle up against those, but I like what the darkness portends, which is usually rich flavor. And make know mistake, everything you’ve heard about this from the review here on Distiller to the writeup on Drinkhacker to, well…those are the only I’ve encountered so far, but as a Barrel Entry Proof release, this does indeed double down on everything that is great about Makers: It’s 110 proof, and the nose is a bit strong, but it’s got a nice sweet corn edge to it (there might be more there, but my allergies are acting up something fierce today so my nose is a bit clogged). Despite the proof, the palate is smooth as silk with lots of rich caramel and vanilla and dark tobacco and cherry and the finish lingers nicely with a white pepper bite, a trace of cherry pie filling, and maybe a little bit of green apple on the back end. When I read that this was going to be 110 and celebrating the Barrel Entry Proof, I wondered how it would be any different from the standard Cask Strength but this is definitely different and I would say superior, especially in mouthfeel which is extremely creamy and coating. Overall, I'd have to say this is the best of the Finishing Series that I've tried, though I do have unopened bottles of BRT 02, FAE 01, and the 2020 Edition whose code was too complicated for me to commit to memory. Does anyone have any info on why this is going to be the last one? These were actually the releases I looked forward to every year. The way some people look forward to batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof or Larceny or Bookers, I looked forward to the Maker’s Mark Finish Series. If this is truly the end, they’ve gone out on a high note, like Jordan deciding to stop after six championships or Jay Z telling us he was going to retire after The Black Album. I kind of hope, like those cases, it’s all hype and Maker’s will be returning with more of this Series. But unlike those other examples, let’s hope they continue to rise to this level. If Maker’s comes back with a whisky that mirrors Jordan’s tenure with the Wizards, then maybe they should just stay retired. But I can’t say that I’m not a little sad about this, and I can’t say that I might not seek out a third bottle if they’re still in stock after my credit card rolls over and my whisky budget for next month is freed up again.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series selections have long been some of my favorites. Yes there were some misses ( 2020's SE4 PR5 for example ) but even the misses in this series were still pretty damn good. And so we come to the final installment of Maker's Mark Wood Finishing series: 2023's BEP. I am so sad to see this line go by the way side. Every year I get so excited as spring starts to blossom to summer and the days get warmer. The anticipation of getting my hands on that year's Wood Finishing Series always creates excitement for me around April / May. The nose of BEP is significantly less hot than previous entries, as expected of the slightly lower proof. It smells like its going to be delicious with all of the right, classic smells. Caramel, vanilla and chocolate all make an appearance with just a hint of tannic charred oak. BEP is almost syrupy on the tongue and singing with vanilla, toffee and brown sugar. That oak on the nose makes its return with just a gentle kiss of baking spices. The finish feels its proof, warming on the way down. Makes me think that this would be an excellent dram for the winter. The sweetness fades away in favor of that tannic oak, cloves and baking spices. The finish lingers and along with it, a bit of tongue tingle right in the center of your tongue. This is up there with the best in this series. My sweet tooth tends to lean toward RC6 and FAE01 as the two best in the Wood Finishing Lineup but man, this isn't far behind. Go get a bottle and bid farewell to the Wood Finishing Series with one of the very best.

Nose is pretty enticing, with rich caramels and fruits in the form of red apple, grape and blackberry. Additional hints of sawdust, grass, old books, and oak furniture. A little too much ethanol for the proof. Palate matches the nose well, but adds French vanilla, molasses, chocolate, mint, tobacco, and a spice bloom of allspice and cinnamon. Flavors do come across decently bold. As for the finish, warm to the point of sliding into hot with black pepper, chili pepper, astringent oak, cinnamon, and unattenuated alcohol. It’s not all bad; on the plus side are some burnt sugars, toasty char, and citrus zest. It’s also nicely long. Mouthfeel is sharp and prickly; a little more softness would have went a long way. Let me start by saying I’m big fan of this series, but a bit of a mixed bag here. On one hand, I appreciated the fullness and richness. On the other, we have some off notes that are hard to ignore. It far from sucks, and at $80 is priced right for the quality in today’s market. I’ll give it rebuy status by the slightest of margins; better than some in the series but not as good as FAE-01.

The nose is a burst of sweet oak, caramel, dark chocolate, a bit of heat and touches of ripe fruit that are a hallmark of wheated bourbon. This is vastly different from the standard Maker's Mark profile, for what it is it comes across as a dessert. The palate is gentle, rich, somewhat oily and full of oak and caramel. Brown sugar cascades through the mouth, that is to say in a very gentle and balanced amount. It is slightly chewy, which helps to bring out the dark chocolate. There are faint touches of ripe fruit in the background, however is not prominent nor does it need to be. Everything you taste is in a very harmonious balance and doesn't require much else. The finish however, is only medium at best. It is a little too short for what the rest of the experience has offered. However, a mix of all the flavors continue to mingle in the mouth, still offering some chewiness as it all fades. The finish while a bit of a let down, doesn't take away from how delicious this is. This is a great combination of wood finishing and definite hit.

MM BEP 2023, 109.6 proof. Tasted neat. Dark rosey brown color and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is floral grain, green apple, and light wood. Oak tannins and ethanol up front in the mouth. Sweet grain, white sugar, some vanilla. Rather thin mouthfeel. Spicy grassy notes and astringent, sour fruit appear in the finish, which is dry but isn't long. With an ice cube I found the ethanol less pronounced in the mouth and the finish more woody than tannic. Interesting experiment in wood finishing with virgin oak staves. Not sure how much this improves over the MM 46 base except in higher ABV. But pleasant if you like a darker/deeper oak flavor. Preferred the MM BRT-02, 2022 wood finish version. Going to revisit this another night.

Color: medium amber. Nose: Oak, leather and apples. Palate: First sip I took neat. Initial alcohol assault on the sinuses, along with a nice warm hug. Dropped in a large ice ball to tone it down and allow the flavors to come forward. First sip with ice revealed a very spicy profile along with the inevitable sweetness I'd expect from Maker's. However, I'm having trouble identifying specifics on this very first pour.* Finish: Drying and spicy/tingly. *I plan on adding more details in the very near future — including results from a blind I am planning to conduct between this BEP and the two 2023 BRT releases. Stay tuned...