Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2019 RC6

A long-time fan of the Maker's brand, I was naturally intrigued by their first limited-edition bottling. It's a reasonably priced offering, a pleasant surprise for a special release bourbon. This is a stave experiment, true to Maker's character. Let's find out if this brand can make an impact with its first one-off bottling. Nose: Immediate heavy cinnamon, oak, and leather. Clove, nutmeg, and allspice notes are present. Quite piquant. Hints of caramel and milk chocolate. Toffee, red apple, cherry, banana, and a syrupy sweetness. Raisin and cranberry are detected. Vanilla, brown sugar, and graham cracker. Coffee aromas. Intense spice upfront, with layers of profound sweetness following. Palate: Again, strong spice at the forefront. 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 syrupy sweetness. Unripe banana, which isn't my preference. A dusty quality. It retains some of the dessert sweetness from the aroma, but not as pronounced. The red fruit notes are amplified, and the spice remains. Finish: Tastes like a Red Hot. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Caramel, vanilla, coffee. Milk chocolate, brown sugar, and graham cracker. As expected from cask strength, the finish is exceptionally long. A solid attempt. It has a good equilibrium of dessert sweetness, spice, and heat. A worthwhile buy at $57. Is it groundbreaking? No. I would much rather have the Private Select, or even the 46 for the price. A few notes are slightly off-putting, but overall, it harmonizes well. This has grown on me. At first, I wasn't impressed, but I must admit, there are some rather distinctive flavor combinations here. I enjoy what I'm experiencing. It's certainly not the best Maker's Mark I've had, but if you're curious and manage to find these limited bottles, you'd be wise to get one. 4/5.

The aroma is rich with wood and spice, possessing a wonderful fullness that really showcases the proof. It reminds me of Stagg Jr. in its scent profile, with a definite dryness from rye. It's a terrific aroma featuring sweet vanilla and abundant cinnamon, along with a touch of brown sugar. The mouthfeel is thinner than expected, and it has a significant kick with plenty of spice. Tart cherries emerge later, followed by rich chocolate mixed with spicy cinnamon and wood. It's an intriguingly spice-forward creation. There's ample sweetness from vanilla and brown sugar. Cherry notes are present but not particularly strong, and their freshness is somewhat disappointing. There's also an earthy quality to the wood that, combined with the cherry, evokes the mushroomy taste of cherry wood chips. I can see how what I perceived as brown sugar and fresh cherry might have been interpreted by another as banana and ripe apple. The flavor doesn't entirely win me over, but it's far from bad. It sits in the range of Eagle Rare/Booker's Kitchen Table. While the flavor profile has some good notes and solid balance, it lacks significant complexity, and there's something that doesn't quite sit right with me. Still, I like it well enough. I might even opt for this instead of Booker's if I felt Booker's had a subpar release. It becomes a bit too sweet at the end, but that helps mask the rye tartness and minerality. Honestly, it's quite good. I'd place it in the 16 to 17 range.

A very traditional aroma, with light fruit notes hinting at cinnamon, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Black pepper emerges after the initial taste, and along with the maple and sugar, it evokes bacon. Earthy notes of iodine and brine are present. Hints of mint chocolate too. Chewing tobacco. A very intriguing aroma. A pleasant, classic, and complex medium finish. It compensates for the occasionally off-putting aroma. A solid purchase at $53. I haven't tried Maker's 46 at $35 for comparison, but I would likely opt for this one given the vast range of scents and tastes. I utilize the rating scale outlined below. The distiller uses a 5-point scale, and I use a 10-point scale, but I'm sure you're not too intoxicated to figure it out! 1. Awful - So bad I discarded it. 2. Poor - I would avoid drinking it. 3. Bad - Several noticeable flaws. 4. Below average - Not terrible, but many alternatives I'd prefer. 5. Average - Simply adequate. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Significantly above average. 8. Excellent - Stands in a class of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

Tasted neat. Opened 6-12 months ago. I recall enjoying this greatly upon first opening but hadn't revisited it in a long time. With a new special release from this brand on the horizon, I decided it was wise to re-evaluate this one. I'm really enjoying the aroma. It possesses bright notes that I don't typically find with the various stave combinations in the special releases. Vanilla buttercream is the initial aroma. It's rich but not excessively sweet. Beneath that is a buttery pie crust coated in cinnamon and brown sugar. Caramel-covered apples. Strawberries. All of it is enveloped in that buttercream note. I continue to find the aroma of this spirit very appealing. The texture is pleasantly creamy. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla buttercream are the initial tastes on the palate. It transitions distinctly to caramel apple and pie crust, with the strawberries lingering on the finish and in the legs. A subtle oakiness remains in the legs as well. Yes, this remains the finest example from this brand I have ever experienced. They truly perfected this release. That vanilla buttercream note is exceptionally good with every sip tonight.

Aroma: Cinnamon apple and sweet spices, inviting and warm. Regrettably, the aroma is the standout feature here. While it maintains a sweet heat through the mid-palate, and the cinnamon spice dominates, there's not much else to discover. The dark caramel sugar notes persist, but I'm seeking more and not finding it. In terms of flavor profile, it's somewhat uninspired and might not offer the diversity that standard 46 consistently delivers. The crucial question is whether it surpasses standard 46, which consistently offers great value. In most areas, expect to pay 50% more than for standard 46; this doesn't seem justified to me, which is disappointing as I had high hopes it wouldn't fall short. This bottling is at the lower end of the proof range at 108, and while not bad at all, for a distillery renowned for its excellent finishing, I can confidently advise passing on it and hoping for better luck with another wood-finished special. Cheers!

Nose: toasted marshmallow, rich caramel, cinnamon, chocolate, nutmeg, banana, black pepper, vanilla, cherry, mint, thyme, sweet oak, cherry, apple, with a 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, with a moderate alcohol bite. The finish is medium length with rich caramel, cherry, and strong baking spice flavors. This offering is akin to s'mores in a glass, featuring abundant rich caramel and prominent baking spices. It's certainly a step up from the standard Maker's 46, though it reinforces my general dislike for the brand's profile. It's good, but not a fantastic whiskey for me.