This expression of Maker’s Mark is their latest and final expression in the Wood Finishing Series. After this release, they are starting a new series of special releases. This expression is called “BEP” as it stands for “Barrel Entry Proof” and is aged for four years before adding ten Toasted American Oak Staves to the barrel. I am unclear in why it is called “Barrel Entry Proof” as 110 proof is the standard barrel entry proof for all of the Maker’s Mark Bourbons and I am not sure why 110 is special about this whiskey. I would have to venture a guess that since they are using only American Oak staves in the aging, it has varied the least from the standard Maker’s Mark flavor profile. I was sent a bottle and some samples of the other Wood Series Bourbons and Matt and I sat in on a Zoom call tasting with several other whiskey writers. It was a very interesting tasting and this expression is different from all of the other expressions. Matt and I later sat down and tasted the Bourbon and here are our tasting notes.
Maker’s Mark BEP
Proof: 110.7
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rich caramel toffee, apples, baking spices, and oak wood.
- Matt: Vanilla cream, tart orange, an unidentifiable floral note, and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple and cinnamon come forward. Tasted with a pecan and the caramel toffee is enhanced and a milk chocolate note comes out.
- Matt: Orange sherbet, vanilla bean, and a nice oak mid-palate. The dried cranberry gave it the flavor of vanilla cake with orange sherbet. The pecan brought out the floral notes and caramel with oak wood.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and cinnamon spice. The dried cranberry made it very spicy like eating a cinnamon red hot candy. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak. Cinnamon spice and lingering milk chocolate.
- Matt: Medium long with oak, vanilla and tart orange. The dried cranberry made the finish shorter with oak and vanilla. The pecan made the finish longer with oak, vanilla and orange sherbet.
I would pair this Bourbon with a cigar that is rich in vanilla and tobacco notes in the smoke. I would reach for a RomaCraft Neanderthal cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller