Maker's Mark Private Selection Cinnamon Dolce, Loretta, KY

Nose: strong spice and sweet notes (and as the name suggests) cinnamon and vanilla, followed by fruity notes of cherry and orange. Palate: Spice leads this palate as promised on the nose with cinnamon, black pepper, and coffee notes, but these are balanced by lighter sweet notes of vanilla/syrup; this initial wave of flavor is accompanied by a strong backdrop of woody, toasted oak. A little hot but not bad for 108.8 proof. Finish: mellow and pleasant as the spices give way to some of the complex sweeter notes and wood/nutty notes. Overall: definitely as advertised and cinnamon/spice forward, but I love how it finishes and makes you want another taste. It's sweeter overall than a similar series/stave profile from Bellevue, KY called “The Spice is Right” (Party Source), which had a rating of 2/2/2/2/3, compared to this profile of 1/2/2/1/4 (must be the extra toasted French Spice and seared French Cuvée). I love pretty much all Maker's, so I am biased, but it's very worth trying! Cheers!

It's a shame this is no longer available! Wonderful spice and a warming aroma, reminiscent of Christmas! Had just the right amount of cinnamon-like notes and a superb ending.