Maker's Mark Private Selection Bourbon

Maker’s Mark Private Selection This is a dual review of the North Carolina Bourbon Society (NCBS) selection with the 0-1-3-3-3 stave profile at 109.0 proof and the Lake Wylie Liquor selection with 2-4-0-4-0 at 110.7 proof. BIG NEWS, BOURBON ENTHUSIASTS! Thank you again for joining me. Please remember to Like, Comment, and SUBSCRIBE if you're as eager for bourbon content as I am for bourbon itself. Tonight's pour is special. Why? Because I am now officially a certified Bourbon Steward through the Stave & Thief Society! I passed the exam, received the pin, and elevated my bourbon knowledge. I've always enjoyed bourbon, but now I appreciate it with a more scientific and structured understanding. To commemorate this achievement, I'm exploring not one, but TWO exceptional Maker's Mark Private Selection pours – both double-oaked creations that spent extra time in the limestone cellar and emerged with a completely new flavor profile. First up: North Carolina Bourbon Society (NCBS) Selection Stave Profile: 0-1-3-3-3 Proof: 109.0 This one represents our local pride. Expect sweet caramel, a hint of vanilla, a touch of spice, and perhaps a whisper of toasted marshmallow. It's warm, inviting, and distinctly NCBS. Second pour: "A Warm Hug from a Koala" – Lake Wylie Liquors Stave Profile: 2-4-0-4-0 Proof: 110.7 As cozy and intriguing as it sounds. This selection leans towards toasted and nutty notes with a French influence – like enjoying dessert in a wood-lined cabin with a friendly marsupial companion. Quick Bourbon Nerd Note: Maker's Mark Private Selections begin as fully mature Maker's Cask Strength. Then, ten staves are selected from a flavor matrix of five types and inserted into the barrel for an additional nine weeks in the cool, stable limestone cellar. The outcome is a bourbon that ranges from 108 to 114 proof, with each bottle offering a unique flavor profile. Here are your stave flavor components: • BP (Baked American Pure): Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Spice, Honey • Cu (Seared French Cuvée): Toasted Oak, Caramel, Almond • 46 (Maker’s 46): Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Spice • Mn (Roasted French Mendiant): Milk Chocolate, Nuts, Coffee, Dried Fruit • Sp (Toasted French Spice): Bold Smoke, Clove, Orange Peel, Exotic Spice Whether you prefer bold, sweet, or toasty flavors, these Maker's Private Selections provide a fantastic opportunity to tailor your flavor exploration. And if you haven't tried one yet, consider this your official encouragement. Until next time – raise your glass, give a koala a hug (responsibly), and always remember: Life's too short for subpar bourbon. My YouTube Channel: [Link removed for privacy] Full video review of both these bottles: Maker’s Mark Private Selection NCBS 0-1-3-3-3 @ 109.0 & Lake Wylie Liquor 2-4-0-4-0 @ 110.7 [Link removed for privacy] Cheers, everyone! 🥃 - BBBB -

It’s fall (ish). Bourbon feels like fall for some reason. Perhaps it’s the baking spices… In any event, I purchased this bottle some time ago and have struggled to define it. These Makers PS bottles seem to be everywhere, but are they worth $70-80, significantly more (statistically or otherwise) than Makers 46, 101, or CS? Let’s find out… I admit, I bought this on impulse. I was at the Makers distillery in Kentucky last year. The tour was lovely, the grounds beautiful, and the tasting at the end was adequate. They have a whole section of a limestone hillside carved out to create space for stave finishing and the 46 program. The barrel room there is literally a cave they blasted out and holds the Makers Private Select barrels aging for customers across the country. It’s an impressive setup and I would upload pictures if the platform allowed. When I returned home to my (former) residence in Texas, I bought a local store pick because the tour guide mentioned Makers was going to stop using the French mocha staves, and fear of missing out got the better of me. Anyway, the bourbon. As it rests, the aroma is reminiscent of turtle brownies. Rich, aromatic oak with a subtle undertone of allspice and clove. Oxidation has been VERY beneficial to this bottle. Initially, it was hot and grassy on the nose, like most Makers CS I have encountered. Now, with time and patience, all the dessert notes are emerging. I’m really enjoying this tonight. On the palate, it carries over all those baking chocolate and caramel notes with a full, creamy mouthfeel. At first opening, the proof was very apparent, but it’s much more mellow now, providing a gentle numbing sensation and a slow, lingering warmth that feels like your first hesitant slow dance in middle school. I’m enjoying this. Given the unique stave finishing process Makers employs, your experience may differ, but time, patience, and oxidation have truly brought this bottle to life. I will finish this and consider another store pick when it’s gone. These don’t disappear from shelves as quickly as some other bourbons, so there’s likely one near you. If you purchase one at the distillery, you can even dip it in red wax if that appeals to you. Is it worth the higher price? I believe so. I’ve sampled the entire Makers lineup over the years, and I must say, they are consistent. However, I have never before had such a dynamic pour from them that showed so much development as I consumed the bottle. Highly recommended. Cheers!

I've been eager to try this and have only heard good things. Was fortunate enough to get this on sale. So here it goes. Review based on 2nd pour - day after trying the neck pour. Smell: fruity, brown sugar, vanilla, do I smell char/oak? Taste: vanilla/sweet, then hits with a balanced oaky flavor that lingers a bit. First time tasting a bourbon that’s more oak forward End: medium to long lasting end. Tastes of oak and char. Warms up coming down Overall: very good and enjoyable. I could sip this every day. Being my first oak forward bourbon, it’s a flavor profile I’d need to get used to. Pleasantly surprised that Makers makes something like this. Granted my last Makers was in college and I took shots of it. Overall, happy to get this on sale ($50), but not sure if I’ll get at full price elsewhere (typically $75 plus around me). Rating: 6.5/10- t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.

This Maker's Mark Private Selection, "Bev Max Edition #1", with stave profile 1-2-2-4-1, bottled at 109.5 proof in February 2021, has a color resembling Maker's 46. Its nose is more concentrated and less rich than MM46, featuring carrot cake, butter pecan ice cream, Golden Grahams cereal, a hint of molasses, and a dusty note. The wood is prominent on the palate, which offers a smooth, oily texture where flavors are intense, amplified by the well-integrated higher proof. The finish is full of vanilla and has a lasting quality. This bottle wasn't memorable price-wise, maybe around $60. While these Private Selection bottles are not as refined as other MM wood-finished options I've tried, they consistently deliver unique experiences due to their custom stave profiles. Note: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

“Chocolate Cherry Luxe” at 108.5 proof As soon as it's opened, a fresh whiff Nose: (after 20 minutes of breathing) True to its name, savory and delightful notes of cherries and dark chocolate appear first, followed by mellower notes of the classic MM burnt caramel. Faint hints of wheat, vanilla, and fruit are also present in the background. Honestly, I’m impressed by the complexity for a MM product; every time I inhale, I discover something new. Palate: Unfortunately, the flavor is not as amazing as the nose suggests. Again, I detect hints of cherries and dark chocolate, however, everything else seems to blend together into a lump of indiscernible flavors. Finish: The finish, which is enjoyable and quite long, leaves your tongue with a tingling sensation of savory chocolate. Ultimately, I hope to revisit this bottle in a few weeks and experience more of the complexity from the nose on the palate. For now, it’s a good pour but not quite great.

Five Star Wine and Liquor President’s Day Pick Nose - Bright candied cherry. It's as if maraschino cherries were aged in the barrel. A slight hint of leather and very bright oakiness. Hints of vanilla. A little bit of toasted char. Palate - More leather, more oak, and the addition of walnuts. The walnut flavor is subtly sweet, giving the impression of candied walnuts. The texture is very bright and light, care is taken not to overwhelm the palate with excessive richness. Toasted sugar is also present, like the topping of a crème brûlée. Minimal caramel notes appear occasionally. Finish - The finish is warm, almost perfect in my estimation. It has a moderate duration and provides a comfortable warmth. As it goes down, it is complemented by more hints of leather, oak, and vanilla.