The Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series always produces excellent whiskey. This latest release, The Keeper’s Release, is Maker’s Mark Bourbon finished with ten virgin toasted American white oak staves. It is an excellent whiskey that tastes very similar to the Cellar Aged release that came out last year. I recently received a bottle from the distillery for review and Matt and I sat down and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.

Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series – The Keeper’s Release

Proof: 109.2

Age: No Age Statement

Nose:

  • Mike: Caramel, apples, pepper and oak wood.
  • Matt: Caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, cherries and oak wood.

Taste:

  • Mike: Caramel, apples, white pepper and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple flavor comes forward. Tasted with a pecan brings out rich caramel, dark chocolate, black pepper and oak wood.
  • Matt: Chocolate, molasses, cherries, cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry added lemon grass to the flavor. The pecan made it oily and viscous and heavily oaked.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak wood, white pepper and lingering caramel. The dried cranberry added apple to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, chocolate and black pepper.
  • Matt: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry added lingering caramel. The pecan made the finish long and sweet with oak wood, chocolate and molasses.

I would pair this fine whiskey with a My Father The Judge cigar. I think the rich vanilla and chocolate in the smoke would enhance the caramel and chocolate in the whiskey.

maker's mark bottle and glencairn glass

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller