Maker's Mark Private Selection Honeysuckle Breeze

The nose is sweet and indulgent, full of brown sugar, caramel, and ripe apples. That deliciously sweet aroma carries through to the taste. The initial sip has a hint of sweet but slightly tart candied apples. The familiar creamy vanilla of Maker's Mark emerges mid-palate. The finish is hot, which is understandable given the proof, but surprising as other Maker's limited selections rarely taste this hot. The finish is slightly dry and a bit astringent, but includes notes of unsweetened chocolate and just a touch of burnt sugar. Seriously, is there any Maker's limited production release that's actually bad? On its own, this is a very solid, high-proof bourbon. However, when compared to Maker's outstanding Wood Finishing Series, this one falls short. It's just a bit too hot and astringent for me to truly love.

This was some rough stuff.