Star Hill Farm 2025 American Wheat Whisky

VITALS:
- $100

- 114.7 Proof

- 8 years

- Kentucky

Maker's Mark has always been somewhat limited in its offerings. After all, it just makes a wheated bourbon, and everything else they offer is some sort of play on that, whether that be their Maker's 46 with the stave finishes, the Cask Strength, their Private Selection program, or, more recently their limited releases. They all at least start with the standard wheated bourbon mashbill.

So, when they decided to release something a little different, I was pretty excited to get my hands on a bottle. This Star Hill Farm bottling is not a wheated bourbon, but rather a wheat whisky. So, while the focus is still on the wheat, it's not a bourbon. Quite frankly, other than Heaven Hill's Bernheim Wheat, there's not much out there on the market like this.  Plus, the bottle is pretty sweet -- it's substantial in weight and the cork is like it's made from a chunk of quartz countertop.

As to the whisky itself, the nose is very fragrant. I got notes of cherry and cinnamon, as well as a decent amount of oak. The cherry note, however, came across as that artificial cherry--not quite like cough syrup, but fairly close. And the cinnamon was more of a dry, unsweetened cinnamon note, kind of like smelling a cinnamon stick.

The flavor was interesting, because at first I wasn't a big fan. Right away I got that cherry note along with a healthy dose of oak. However, unlike on the nose, the cherry note was more medicinal in nature. And, to add to that, the oak note really didn't offer much other than a significant amount of bitterness.  Pair all that with the high proof, and this was not an easy sipper.

But, having then let the bottle sit for a couple weeks before going back to it, I found that I actually really enjoyed it. The cherry note seemed to transform form the artificial to the natural. It took on more of a black cherry note, not like candy but more like fresh black cherry off the tree.  The oak note didn't come across nearly as bitter. In fact, the whisky as a whole sweetened up, with notes of brown sugar and even a slight hint of maple syrup, to not only counter-balance the oak note, but to even complement it.

While the heat remained, it certainly was much more enjoyable, and the high proof helped provide a long and oily finish that was dark cherry, brown sugar and cinnamon. The oak seemed to fade a bit, leaving a rich, sweet and dark finish to linger at the back of my throat.

I was really quite floored at how disappointed I was with this whisky at first, and how much I enjoyed it at the end. It makes it a bit tough to grade, but I'll just say that in the end, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest with my purchase.

Grade: B+

Maker's Mark Private Select Binny's Beverage Depot - PB Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $70

- 110.2

- NAS

- Finish: 1 Baked American Pure; 3 Seared French Cuvee; 2 Maker's 46; 3 Roasted French Mocha, 1 Toasted French Spice

- Kentucky

I feel like I've really slept on these Maker's Mark private selections. When they first came out, I was floored at how much I enjoyed them. I remember trying my first one at Haymarket in Louisville and I couldn't get over the incredibly delicious chocolate note I got from it.  I've since tried a handful of different picks, either bottles I've picked up or pours I've had at bars, and every single one has been delicious.

And yet, despite having had plenty of chances, it's been almost three years since I've purchased a Maker's Private Selection bottle. And it's silly of me given that it's moderately priced, it's cask strength, and I know I'm going to love the whiskey inside (pretty much regardless of the stave combination). Luckily, something motivated me to grab this particular bottle when it hit a while back, and I finally got around to polishing it off.

The nose was baked goods all around. I got pastry crust, sweet cinnamon and even a bit of vanilla icing. What hit me the most, though, was a distinct milk chocolate note.  I've been searching for that note in these bottles ever since that first taste at Haymarket, but to no avail. However, in this one, that chocolate note was right up front on the nose.

And to make it even better, it came right through on the palate as well. The very first thing I tasted when it hit the tip of my tongue was that milk chocolate note. However, there was almost a creaminess to it, as well as a distinct sweet vanilla. Overall, that first note reminded me very much of hot cocoa with marshmallows. I was immediately sold.

Other flavors came through as well, as I got pie crust and graham cracker, as well as something that reminded me of cashews, nutty but sweet and even oily. There was a light cinnamon note as well, and that cinnamon note seemed to carry through to the finish, along with the chocolate note, to almost provide a sort of spicy chocolate note that rested nicely at the back of my throat.

I don't know if this stave combination, if replicated, would produce a similar tasting whisky, but this was certainly one of the best Maker's Mark private selections I've had.

Grade: A

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2022 Limited Release BRT-02 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $70

- 109.4 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

While I don't actively hunt these out, the Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series releases have all been great whiskeys.  So, when I see one on the shelf, I'm sure to grab it. Luckily, these aren't the target of the typical bourbon hunters, so running across one of these hasn't been all that difficult.

This year, though, they decided to release two of them. So, I was put to a decision, because I just didn't really want to buy both. For no reason whatsoever other than that's where my hand went, I picked up the BRT-02. This one was finished with 10 virgin toasted French oak staves. While I like the use of French oak in Maker's, so far I haven't been high on toasted finish bourbons. But, I was hopeful that this one would provide a different influence than other toasted finishes I've tried.

The nose on this is a great combination of caramel and wood. It lacks that tannic bitterness, but provides the nice, oaky notes that I love. I also got a decent amount of dark chocolate to go with, as well as a sort of walnut note. It smelled rich and delicious.

As much as I liked the nose, I enjoyed the flavor even more.  The chocolate and caramel really came through, providing a great baseline of flavor including some rich, sweet dessert-like notes.  There was also another sweet note, kind of like a honey note to go with that chocolate and caramel. As sweet as all this sounds, it never leaned too sweet. It was, though, on the sweet end of the spectrum.

It had a nice, light cinnamon spice to it, more noticeable on the finish than on the back end. That seemed to be folded into a sweet nougat note. Once I got the nougat note, that was almost all I could notice, and it was great! That nougat along with the chocolate and caramel gave this bourbon a real Milky Way vibe.

The finish had that little bit of cinnamon spice, and the chocolate and caramel notes carried through as well. However, those notes were all fleeting, and the finish simply didn't last very long. Usually that's the case with a lower proof whiskey. This had plenty of viscosity, but those flavors just didn't stick around nearly as long as I wanted them to.

That said, this was still another great release from Maker's in the Wood Finishing Series, and I'll continue to grab these as I see them!

Grade: A-

Maker's Mark Generations of Proof

About a year and a half ago Maker's Mark released this three bottle Generations of Proof set, which, as I understand it, was available only at Costco. This "limited edition collection of our bourbon heritage" pays tribute to the Samuels lineage behind the Maker's Mark Brand. The set includes three 375 ml bottles, all at cask strength, and all showcasing Maker's Mark's most known products. The Maker's Mark Cask strength is in tribute to T. William Samuels, Maker's Mark's founder. The Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength is in tribute to his son, Bill Samuels, Jr., and the Maker's Mark Private Select is in tribute to grandson Rob Samuels.

When I saw these start showing up on various social media, it was added as a staple to our household Costco shopping list. My wife knew, whenever she was there, to look for this set, and of course I made it a point to seek it out whenever I made a Costco run as well. I was disappointed on so many trips to that store having not found any, and then one day my wife and my son came back from running errands with box in hand! I had a lot of fun with this, of course doing a couple side-by-side tastings, and then eventually finishing off each bottle one-by-one. I had thought about doing individual reviews, but I figured one post should cover it.

Maker's Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

- 108.8 Proof

I've always been a fan of Maker's Mark Cask Strength since it was first released. While I wouldn't call it my "go-to" bottle (I don't really have one), it is certainly one that I'd push others toward. It's a very good bourbon bottled at cask strength, at a reasonable price, and is readily available. On the nose I got baked goods or pastry notes. It was like a bear claw with baked peaches and cinnamon. I even got a bit of a hazelnut note. I really loved the nose on this one.

As to flavor, it was certainly on the sweeter side with honey and vanilla taking center stage. I did get an interesting tea note that went really well with the vanilla and honey. It also had a brighter note, like crisp, sweet apple (and not that overripe apple note that I get so often in young bourbons).  Carrying through on that "sweet" theme, I also got a candy corn note, as well as some of the baked peaches I got on the nose. The finish tempered the sweetness a bit. I still got a light maple syrup note, but it was balanced out by a sort of pie crust note that made the finish very enjoyable.

Overall, while I did enjoy it, it leaned a bit more on the sweeter side than I generally prefer.

Grade: B

Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

- 111.2 Proof

I've picked up a few 46 Cask Strength bottles here and there. There once was a time that it was a limited release only available at the distillery, but eventually Maker's Mark realized there was real money to be made off the stuff, and now I'm seeing it fairly regularly on the shelves, which is a good thing!  The nose on this one was a stark contrast to the regular cask strength. I immediately noticed a sort of damp or musty wood note. I know it sounds weird, but it wasn't off-putting, and it seemed to work really well with the other notes I got on the nose, including a rich fig or raisin note, and even a bacon note. It had just the slightest bit of sweetness.

The flavor didn't quite follow the nose. It certainly had the sweeter, rich notes of fig and raisin. But, along with that I got a significant pecan pie note. It was buttery and full of brown sugar, but also had a certain nutty quality to balance it out a bit. On the finish I got a rich dark cherry note and the nutty note seemed to lean more towards an oak note. Both flavors on the finish added some bitterness that balanced out the sweetness I was getting in the pecan pie flavors. It also had a bit more bite on the finish, with a spicy cinnamon note that lingered for quite a bit.

I enjoyed this one more than the regular cask strength but not by a lot. It did add the spice component as well as a bit more complexity that I would have desired in the regular cask strength.

Grade: B+

Maker's Mark Private Select Rob Samuels Personal Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon

- 110.2 Proof

- 2 Seared French Cuvee; 4 Roasted French Mocha; 4 Toasted French Spice

This was the one I was most excited about, primarily because every Maker's Mark private selection I've had has been its own unique experience, and I was very curious what experience a personal selection from Rob Samuels himself might provide.  This one gave off aromas of black pepper and oak. The oak at times leaned more towards a walnut flavor. It also had a light smokiness, kind of like a burnt sugar note, as well as a sweet, creamy nougat note.

Interestingly, the first note that I made while tasting this one was that it tasted like an older bourbon. It seemed to have significantly more oak influence, with some tannic bitterness coming through. I particularly enjoy a little bit of tannins, so long as it's not overdone (it's what I love about Elijah Craig 18 year), and here it was done very well. Rather than detract from the bourbon, it added to its complexity and character, complementing the sweet toffee and brown sugar notes. This one was a bit on the earthier side as well, with nutmeg and even a bit of leather. It had a healthy amount of cinnamon spice as well, which, along with that toffee note, lingered for quite a while on the finish. 

Of the three, this was certainly the one I enjoyed the most. But, that said, given the profile, I'd imagine plenty of others had one of the other two pegged as their favorite. This one, however, had complexity and even a touch of funk that I loved.

Grade: A-

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series FAE-01 2021 Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 110.6 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

These Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series Limited Releases have really been hits. I really enjoyed the last two releases, so when I randomly came across this bottle in a small liquor store that I stopped into in my various travels, really wanting to get something, I decided to give this newest release a go. 

This particular release was aged with ten Virgin Toasted American Oak Staves. On its face that means very little to me.  The front label does provide tasting notes, indicating that it's "A fruit forward expression with notes of tobacco and wood." That said, tasting notes on a bottle also mean very little to me. After all, it's not as though the distiller is going to tell the consumer that this tastes like band-aids and dirt. And I've found that my tasting notes frequently do not match up anyway. So I decided to give this a try simply on the fact that Maker's has done a great job with their prior releases, and it's worth a try on that basis alone.

The nose was sweet, rich and full of dark fruits. I immediately got notes of raisin and fig, along with a healthy amount of brown sugar. It reminded me a bit of an oatmeal cookie. I certainly got a light char note as well. It also had this kind of woody spice to it, perhaps a bit like cinnamon sticks.

The flavor followed suit to some extent, but also brought out some additional notes that really made for an interesting, complex and delicious bourbon. Right up front I got baked peach and cinnamon, like a peach cobbler or a peach crisp. There were also some dark fruits as well, but rather than fig and raisin it came across almost like a mulled wine. It reminded me a bit of Christmas in that respect.

It definitely had some wood notes to it, though it was only in the flavor. It didn't create any sort of bitterness that you often get with wood notes. It also had a bit of char to it as well, but only just enough to add that light, smoky element.

The texture was fairly viscous, which made for a very long finish. Unfortunately, on the finish the bitter tannic notes did some through, surprisingly. Yet, at the same time, it was on the finish that the sweet caramel notes, kind of that traditional Maker's flavor, came through as well. This was not a sweet whiskey, certainly not a typical wheated whiskey in that respect, but it had just enough caramel sweetness to keep it enjoyable and offset that tannic wood note.

Overall, Maker's has put out yet another solid release in the Wood Finishing Series.  Those wintertime dessert notes were a welcome change while I enjoyed this whiskey during the dog days of Summer. It had a richness and complexity that I haven't enjoyed in a while, and my only real negative was that tannic bitterness, but even that was balanced out by the caramel sweetness.

Grade: B+

Maker's Mark 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $45

- 101 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

For so long Maker's Mark just produced their standard bourbon

--regular Maker's Mark.  It's a fine whiskey and they do a great job with it. But, as the bourbon boom emerged and with the prevalence of limited releases, bourbon hunting, private picks and variants, Maker's Mark seemingly reluctantly changed with the times as well, introducing a cask strength version, a private barrel program and, more recently, an annual limited release.

Adding to its existing line, though, Maker's Mark released this 101 proof, something somewhere between regular Maker's Mark and its cask strength version--a little higher proof but not quite the fire water that might turn some people off  It seems to me there certainly should be a market for this product, whether for cocktails where the bourbon needs to shine or just for those drinkers that want a touch more heat. I was more than happy to grab one off the shelf to see where this might fit for me.

On the nose I got a lot more cinnamon than expected.  I'm not sure if that's due to the increased proof or what, but it was a good, pungent nose that just hit with cinnamon spice. I was able to get some molasses, adding a bit of rich sweetness, and I also picked up some graham cracker and sweet bread, two notes that I've come to expect from Maker's Mark over the years.

I feel like I relate my tasting notes a lot to cookies, but, I guess given the sweetness of bourbon, that's not so weird. And here, my first tasting note was chocolate chip cookies. But, it seemed even sweeter than that, as if milk chocolate chips were used rather than semi-sweet morsels.  It was very brown sugar forward, and even a bit buttery in taste.

I also got hints of an old fashioned flavor as well. I got some orange peel which added some brightness as well as some complementary bitterness. I even got a bit of cherry licorice.  This all seemed to work really well with the constant toffee note throughout. 

The sweet bread from the nose came through as well, with a bit of a yeasty note as well as a bit of a grain-forward note. This, too, was on the sweeter side, but it did offer just a bit of earthiness to try to counterbalance all the other sweet notes.

However, that seems to be the recurring theme here--sweetness.  No matter what flavor I was getting, it was always a sweeter version of that. And the cinnamon spice I got off the nose was, unfortunately, nowhere to be found, and I found myself wishing this had a bit more spice. That is a personal preference, though, and perhaps someone who is a fan of wheaters would absolutely love this. Ultimately, though, this whisky makes sense in Maker's Mark's lineup, and although the box that this bottle came in says it's a "limited edition," it would make sense for this to be a mainstay on shelves.

Grade: B

Maker's Mark Bill Samuels, Jr. Private Select Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 109 Proof
- NAS
- 10 Maker's 46 staves
- Kentucky

A few years back when I visited the Maker's Mark distillery, I had just missed their distillery only release of their cask strength Maker's 46. I missed it by only a couple of weeks.  It was around that time that they started their Private Select program, and with one of their stave options being the Maker's 46 staves, it seemed almost inevitable that someone, somewhere, would use that to create their own Maker's 46 cask strength.

But, I never saw it anywhere. Four years later, though, Maker's released a cask strength Maker's 46 in their Generations of Proof gift box set sold at Costco, and shortly thereafter this Bill Samuels, Jr. release.  As I've mentioned before, there's no better whiskey than free whiskey, and this is no exception. I got this bottle as a Christmas gift from a good friend of mine, who is an even better friend as a result!

This bourbon had a really sweet smell. Upon opening the bottle I was immediately reminded of sugar cookies. It also had a crackery note, as well as a light black pepper spice to sort of counteract that sweet note. I also got a bit of a molasses note, and all of it together created a sort of pecan pie aroma. While it was somewhat all over the place, it all worked really well, and this smelled delicious.

Consistent with the nose, the flavor immediately hit my tongue with a nice mix of sweet and spicy, which I really enjoyed. It reminded me of a spiced chai tea, but with a bit of an added sweetness, like a sweet or flavored creamer was added.

Accordingly, I got a lot of vanilla, as well as a kind of rich chocolate fudge brownie flavor. It lacked any bitterness that would normally come with dark chocolate notes, but rather really leaned on the richness of the fudge note.

On the finish I got notes of black cherry and anise. These flavors added to the richness of the bourbon, as well as providing something beyond the "sweets" notes that predominated, and they gave a little bit more complexity to the bourbon. On later pours, these flavors seemed to come across as more of a sweet amaretto note.

This was a delicious bourbon, and I'm glad that not only did Maker's Mark release a cask strength Maker's 46, but that even as a limited release, it was still pretty readily available. I'd imagine that even now, with just a little bit of effort, one could find a bottle on the shelves to try.

Grade: A-

Maker's Mark Finishing Series 2019 RC6 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 108.2 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky

I was very excited when I first read the announcement of this release. Aside from bottles with different color was to commemorate various sports teams or the horse racing commemorative bottles, all of which contain standard Maker's Mark, I've not seen or had available to me any other special or limited releases from Maker's Mark.

So, I made it a point to track down a bottle, and the best part of it was that it required very little effort. While a "limited release," it was and still is nonetheless very available, and at a price point that's similar to their private selects, which I appreciated. This release (and I assume there will be others) was finished using ten virgin toasted American oak staves, classified as stave profile RC6. So, it's like a barrel strength Maker's 46, but using different staves not available in the private select program.

On the nose, the first note that I got was a wood note, kind of like that sawdust smell of my garage when I've been cutting boards using a circular saw. It also had some cinnamon and pepper spice to it, as well as dark fruit notes. Those fruit notes reminded me of Cabernet, along with some cherry and black raspberry. I also got a lot of chocolate, and all of this blended together for a great, rich and sweet aroma.

The chocolate certainly carried forward into the taste, but it was distinctly a dark chocolate flavor, with only a light sweetness but a distinct bitterness to balance out the rich chocolate. That chocolate paired well with the fruit notes, but unlike the nose, the fruit notes here were brighter, kind of like fresh red raspberry. They had a certain crispness to them that differentiated these flavors from what I was getting on the nose.

The wood notes came through as well, but it was more oak than sawdust. This flavor seemed to also produce the kind of bitterness I associate with tannins in wine, but it wasn't overdone. Rather, it provided just the right amount of bitterness to work well with everything else.

Along with the raspberry, the bitter notes of wood and dark chocolate were complemented by a vanilla undercurrent that lingered from beginning to end. It also had a lot of caramel to provide the necessary sweetness to balance everything out, as well as a light, spicy cinnamon note that really came through at the end.

This bourbon had a great oily texture and, despite the bitter notes, was actually quite soft around the edges. It made things interesting but without losing that balance between flavors. I really enjoyed this and finished this bottle faster than I really intended to. Maker's Mark found something unique and delicious here, and I will certainly be picking up the next release in this series.

Grade: A-

Maker's Mark Private Select Binny's Beverage Depot - RW Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 109.4 Proof
- NAS
- Finish: 2 Baked American Pure 2; 5 Seared French Cuvee; 1 Maker's 46; 2 Roasted French Mocha
- Kentucky

First, let me start off by saying that I tend to love the Maker's Mark Private Selects. Even at $70 a bottle, I consider it a great buy, because I've always gotten very good bottles, and sometimes I end up getting an absolutely great bottle! So, when my local liquor store guy told me that he had and a few other guys had picked four bottles for Binny's, I knew I'd have to grab the one he chose (designated by the "RW").

Mr. RW and I don't always see eye to eye on flavor. We don't always like the same thing, especially when it comes to anise notes in our bourbon. He's a huge fan while to me it's a complete turnoff. But, if I was going to try one of these four picks, there was no question I was going to give his a go.

The nose was pungent and full of rich caramel and spicy cinnamon notes. It was a great combo that made me salivate every time, like one of Pavlov's dogs. I also got some light cherry notes, and even a light chocolate note that I loved.

As for flavor, it was a lot more cinnamon forward. It also had a bit of dark chocolate, providing some sweetness as well as some bitterness to offset the sweet cinnamon. What I got as cherry on the nose seemed to come through as more of an amaretto note on the palate, and some coffee notes came through as well.

There's no question this was a sweeter whiskey, as at times it almost had a maple syrup flavor and sweetness to it. However, it was kept from being overly sweet by the slight bitterness that I attributed to the dark chocolate flavors, as well as the nice heat from the proof and the cinnamon spice. This was one bourbon where everything balanced really well and worked perfectly together to create a rich, bold and absolutely delicious bourbon.

The finish was likewise full of delicious cinnamon, a nice combination of sweet and heat. This bourbon had a nice, oily texture that really coated the mouth and throat, causing these flavors to linger for ever. I even got this buttery chocolate note that seemed to stick at the back of my throat, just out of reach of my taste buds but still back there adding another layer of flavor.

I feel like I may come across as a bit of a shill for this bourbon just because my guy picked it, but I assure you he's recommended multiple whiskeys that simply haven't done it for me, and I'm more than happy to let him know when my palate disagrees. However, with this pick, he hit it out of the park!

Grade: A

Maker's Mark Private Select Binny's Beverage Depot #6 Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 110.4 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky

I feel like I've been seeing more of these Maker's Mark Private Selects on shelves these days, with the big box stores getting four at a time, and even the little guys getting in on the game with their own private selections. All in all, it's not a bad thing, particularly where I'm typically such a fan of these. However, where before I grabbed these bottles without thinking twice, now even just a little bit of saturation has me seeing what else there may be first.

However, when Binny's got in a new batch of these, and I just happened to be there with a friend who understands my willingness to bend to peer pressure, at his suggestion we each grabbed a bottle to taste and compare. And, naturally, I don't regret it.  That being said, however, I think his bottle was better than mine.  C'est la vie.

The particular breakdown of oak finishing staves added to this barrel is as follows:

I have a tendency to gravitate to the ones with the Roasted french Mocha or the Toasted French Spice. I think this is because the first couple Private Selects I ever had absolutely blew me away, and I find myself trying to recreate that experience. So, I look for the same usage of staves. Unfortunately, I've never quite been successful in that endeavor.

The nose on this one was kinda weird. It was malty and grainy, along with a decent amount of ethanol, which never seemed to fade away, even on the last few pours. In addition, it had an interesting citrus note on the nose, like orange peel, adding a bit of bitterness that seemed to mix with an out-of-place peanut scent. All in all, the nose was . . . weird. These different aromas, while making the nose complex, just didn't seem to jive together

The flavor, however, was not weird or confusing, but was actually really tasty! It had this floral note (something I usually get in single malts, not bourbons), almost like a lavender flavor. I know, right away it seems weird, but that flavor seemed to merely add something unique (and inoffensive) to the more traditional caramel and vanilla flavors that really stood out.

This was unquestionably a sweeter bourbon, even more so compared to other wheated bourbons. However, it carried this nice buttery quality to it as well, with an almost creamy mouthfeel, that reminded me of the kind of brown sugar and butter crumble you'd put on top of a cobbler. At other times, the buttery, buttery and sweet qualities reminded me of funnel cake. Either way, this was delicious and sweet.

I realize that taste is what matters most, and in this category, this bourbon was amazing. However, the nose on this one really threw me off. Even on the last couple pours I still got not only the strong ethanol note, but that weird citrus note was not only present, but was unavoidable. If this didn't smell so odd, it would have received top marks from me. Nonetheless, this was still very delicious, and I found it hard to go to other bottles before finishing this one first

Grade: B+/A-

Maker's Mark Private Select Binny's Beverage Depot #6 Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $80
- 112.1 Proof
- NAS
- Region: Kentucky

Once again I am here touting just how good the Maker's Mark Private Selects are. As I've said in the past, while some are certainly better than others, I still have yet to find one that is not, at least, very good. This particular Private Select is no different. While it's not my favorite, not really having that flavor profile that first turned me on to these, this is still a very delicious bourbon!

As with all of the Private Selects, these barrels are not so much selected as they are created, by selecting the combination of staves that were then inserted into the barrel for some extra finishing and aging. This particular barrel breaks down as follows:

I'll be honest, the first three or so pours I ever had of any Maker's Mark Private Select all had a unique and delicious sweet chocolate note to them, and I've found myself chasing that profile ever since. So, seeing that this one had more of the French Mocha staves, I just couldn't help myself. What wasn't there, however, was that chocolate profile that I was seeking. Nonetheless, this was a very complex and flavorful whiskey that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The nose gave off a bit of ethanol at first, which was somewhat off-putting. However, once I got past that alcohol smell, I got an interesting combination of dark chocolate and walnut on the nose, giving it a decadent, but not sweet, nose.

On the palate I did get the chocolate notes, but it was more of a bitter chocolate flavor than the sweet chocolate I was hoping for. It was more of a cocoa powder flavor. That flavor did go well with a creamy, buttery flavor that also came through. It was kind of like an unsweetened breakfast pastry. There were also hints of orange that seemed to bounce in and out from time to time, an almost evasive flavor.  I also got a nutty flavor lingering in the background, though it didn't seem to be the walnut flavor I found on the nose. Rather, it was more of an unsalted peanut flavor.

The finish was primarily a light and smokey cinnamon flavor. It had a good amount of spice, along with a light smokiness that added to the complexity just a bit. Overall it has a nice, creamy texture that allowed the flavors to linger for quite a while after each sip.

The great texture and nice complexity made this an interesting and tasty pour, even if the flavors were somewhat all over the place. What remained consistent, however, was the lingering spice at the back end, which had me wanting another sip over and over again. While it didn't hit the mark as far as the flavor profile I was hoping for, this ended up being an excellent pour nonetheless.

Grade: B+

Maker's Mark Whisky Magazine & Binny's Private Select Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 110.2 Proof
- NAS

This is the second Maker's Mark Private Select that I've picked up. I loved the first bottle I tried, just as I have absolutely loved every other pour that I've had in bars. The Maker's Mark Private Selects are bottles that, when I see them on the shelves, I just grab them without question. Much like the Four Roses private selections, I feel like I'm guaranteed, at the least, a very good pour.

This particular bottling was no different. For those not in the know, the Private Select program allows a purchaser to create a custom recipe using a combination of ten different oak finishing staves of different types, and each stave adds different character and flavor. In the past the ones I've had were heavy on the Roasted French Mocha and the Toasted French Spice. This one is not so much:

On the nose I smelled a lot of wood and spice, like a peppery spice that tickled the nostrils. Though it lacked those traditional vanilla and caramel notes, as well as the chocolate notes that I've found in previous Private Selects, it did have an interesting buttery note to it as well. Not sure it played really well with the peppery spice, but it was certainly different and unique.

The palate very much matched the nose as well. Up front I was hit with the peppery wood notes. Though a bit dry in that sense, it was still complex and full of flavor, and it didn't strike me as an offensive dry-ness in any sense. Rather, it was a very full-bodied bourbon with an incredibly long, cinnamon finish that kept me salivating long after each swallow.

Towards the end of the bottle, it began to sweeten up a bit. Along with the pepper and long cinnamon finish, the traditional caramel flavor began to take center stage, and all the flavors were not complemented by an orange peel flavor that seemed to blend all the flavors together into one delicious flavor profile. While I enjoyed it from the start, by the end I found myself eager for the nex pour and couldn't get enough of it.

Though I didn't LOVE this one quite like I've loved other private selects, it was still a very good whiskey, and well-worth the price. It's still a complex, bold and spicy whiskey which, if I weren't comparing it to other Private Selects that I've had, would certainly be considered a top-tier pour. I did learn, however, that I'm apparently partial to the flavor profiles provided by the French Mocha and French Spice staves, and, if given options, I can look for that particular profile going forward (though I'll still probably just continue to grab them regardless of the recipe).

Grade: A-

Maker's Mark Binny's Private Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 111.3 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel No. 38, Batch No. 6

I had never had a Maker's Mark private selection prior to going to Louisville this past Summer. While there, we went to (read: "stumbled to") the Haymarket. It happened to be the last bar we went to on our last night in town. Of course, we were a number of drinks in at this point, but, nonetheless, having finally made it to one of the bars we had targeted from day one, we weren't going to let that stop us from trying out something new.

I took a look at the bar, and without hesitation I ordered a Rock Hill Farms (which I honestly couldn't tell you much about that pour other than I liked it, but, then again, I might have enjoyed some ashtray water at that point). My friend, however, ordered a Maker's Mark Haymarket Private Selection. Despite the state that we both were in, the one thing that we did notice and did not forget was that this Maker's Mark tasted unlike any other Maker's Mark I've had before.

About a week later I was at Untitled in Chicago for a quick happy hour drink, and I made it a point to try their Maker's Mark Private Selection. Again, it was unlike any other Maker's Mark I've had before. It was rich, chocolatey and spicey, and I left wanting more.

Luckily, it was not long after that I found one of these private selection at one of my local Binny's. Despite the price, I jumped at it without hesitation. I even texted my friend to let him know they were there, and he grabbed his own bottle.

Each barrel is finished with ten charred staves inserted into the barrel. With the private barrel selection program, you can actually select the type of staves used, which can produce different flavors than the standard Maker's Mark or Maker's 46. In this case, I must say I was really drawn in by the fact that half of the staves were made up of either the French Mocha or the French Spice.

As soon as I broke the seal and popped the cork, the first thing I noticed was the nose. Even from a few feet away, as I was grabbing my glass from the cupboard, I could smell the toffee notes emanating from the bottle. The sweetness of this bourbon was strong from the start.

On the first sip I was struck immediately by a blend of chocolate and red wine flavor. It was very rich, matching in many respects the dark color of the bourbon. The chocolate notes were dominant, but the pinot noir red wine flavor seemed to not only keep the bourbon from seeming too sweet but to also offer flavors of dark fruit that complemented the chocolate notes.

The toffee flavors that I found on the nose were also present, but not to the extent that the nose had me expecting. Rather, the toffee was there just as an additional little perk, like finding a five dollar bill in your jacket pocket. It won't buy much, but it nonetheless brings momentary pleasure.

This bottle certainly brings the heat, but the soft wine and chocolate flavors seemed to help that heat settle pretty quickly, keeping this from being a real burner, as well as keeping it from being too sweet. As the bottle was open for a while, that burn dissipated, and really, the only flaw I found in this product seemed to go away as I got to the final few pours.

This was an excellent bottle, and while each selection is going to be influenced by the different staves added to the barrel, I won't hesitate to grab any future private selections I may come across, whether at a bar, a liquor store, or otherwise.

Grade: A

Pilgrimage to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail - Day 3

After a full day of tours on Friday, I now knew what I was getting into. I woke up early, with no need for an alarm despite the many drinks the night before. I made sure I had a complete breakfast, some amazing eggs Benedict topped with crab, and some coffee, and away we went!

We boarded our bus and headed out, with the first stop on our tour being a tasting at Heaven Hill. However, our tour guide, Wendy, had a surprise for us. Because we had some time before the tasting was to begin, we made an extra stop at the Jim Beam distillery! While we didn't get to do a tasting or a tour while there, it was still nice to get the extra stop and the opportunity to go stomping round the Jim Beam grounds, taking photos of the Jim Beam and Booker Noe statues, learning about the history of Jim Beam and their different products, checking out their rickhouses, and smelling the smoked meats coming from their smokehouse first thing in the morning! This was a nice added bonus to the tour.

After about a half hour, we boarded our bus and headed on over to Heaven Hill where we were greeted and immediately ushered into their tasting room. It was a great set up, with high-top tables and chairs for everyone, and wine crackers and water already set out on the tables. The tasting lineup consisted of Elijah Craig and Larceny. With so many different offerings available, I had hoped for a little something more or different than their typical grocery store liquor shelf offerings, but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless. At one point, though, I managed to strike up a conversation with an older tour guide, and he and I ended up talking for about 20 minutes about bourbon, our likes and dislikes, discontinued and hard-to-find bourbons and everything I enjoy about this "hobby." This was probably my favorite part of the Heaven Hill stop. I only wish I had gotten his name before I left.

From there it was on to Maker's Mark. I must say, immediately upon entering the visitor center and looking out the back door I knew this was my favorite distillery visit, and it only got better from there. The campus is beautiful, the kind of place you'd go for a picnic with your family. Lots of well-maintained black and red buildings built around a small, winding creek and surrounded by big, beautiful trees and lush landscaping.

The tour was great as well! The large fermenting room was one of my favorite experiences on this trip. The room is full of six gigantic wooden mash tuns with beer in varying stages of fermentation. Not only did we get to walk right up to the tanks but we were even encouraged to dip out finger into the mash and taste it (it was like sweet cereal)! The tour then finished with a tasting where we got to sample their white dog, regular Maker's, Maker's 46 and cask strength. Our tour guide even took sips with us, toasting with each sample!

We then left the tasting through a smaller storage area with a glass ceiling. Behind the glass were all sorts of blown glass pieces which were backlit to make for a stunning sight! We passed under the colorful ceiling and into to the gift shop where we got to hand-dip our own bottles and where I picked up some Maker's 46 staves for grilling. 

The Maker's Mark distillery really had it all. It was visually appealing, inside and out. The tour was interactive, the tasting was fun and comprehensive, and even the gift shop was a unique experience. This tour was my favorite part of the whole trip! 

As our last stop we headed over to Barton 1792. The tour there was shorter in walking distance than all the others. This distillery offered its own unique experience, though. They take you right into the middle of their production plant. It's very industrial, and we were walking around and stepping over pipes and other equipment as we climbed to the third floor to see the top of the still. It was really a cool experience, as we felt like we were right in the middle of the production process. Plus, after a tasting of Very Old Barton and 1792 Small Batch, I was able to pick up a bottle of their newly released 1792 Single Barrel, which I cracked open as soon as I was back on the bus--very tasty!

Our tour ended here, but these two days were very educational and incredibly fun! It's always a good time, though, when you're hanging around like-minded bourbon fans all day long, and Mint Julep Tours really did an amazing job taking care of us!

That night I had some fried chicken, because I felt I had to at some point on this trip, and I enjoyed the heck out of a number of fine pours that are, quite frankly, pretty easy to find anywhere in Louisville--perhaps too easy judging by the amount I consumed that night and the way I felt that next morning. Luckily all I had to do was endure the 5 1/2 hour car ride home. I did finally get to the Haymarket, and there I finally got to try a pour of Rock Hill Farms, which I had been after since Day 1 of this trip. It was really a nice way to end the vacation (though we did walk across the foot bridge over the Ohio River before we left town on Sunday, but that's a lot like exercise and I'm therefore not considering that a part of the vacation).

Maker's 46 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Being a regular drinker of Maker's Mark whenever I'm out and the selection is limited, I figured I owed a post devoted to Maker's 46, the big brother to standard Maker's Mark.

As you may have noticed, Maker's has begun a large ad campaign for Maker's 46, with commercials showing the charred oak staves being placed into the barrel in rows before the barrel is re-sealed. Certainly it's something a little different, and given my enjoyment of Maker's Mark productions (especially their cask strength bottling), it would seem to follow that Maker's 46 would be somewhere in my wheelhouse.

As expected, Maker's 46 carries the same flavor profile as regular Maker's Mark, only different. And by "different" I mean that it has more body and more complexity to it.

I enjoyed the nose a lot. It is sweet with a strong caramel scent, but it also has a hint of spice that made me salivate a bit at the anticipation of taking my first sip.

As noted, the flavor carries the familiar profile of Maker's Mark products. It is strong in vanilla and toffee flavors, with that light spice/tang (I can't quite put my finger on it) typical of wheaters. What really stands out in this bourbon, though, is the smokiness on its finish, something I really enjoyed in this one! It would make sense, considering their commercials, that the extra char from the additional oak staves would supply this additional smokey flavor.

After having the bottle open a while, the bourbon really took on a smokey vanilla flavor, again a flavor that I found particularly enjoyable (and perhaps smoked vanilla extract is a real thing that actually exists -- I may need to do some searching on the internet).

Overall, I enjoyed this as a somewhat more complex version of Maker's Mark. It wasn't over-the-top exceptional, but for a bourbon that is readily available and not excessively priced, I wouldn't hesitate to grab a bottle off the shelf in the future if the mood so suited me. I found I went through this bottle pretty quickly, which is always a good indicator.

Grade: B

Maker's Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The Maker's Mark Cask Strength release has been drawing my attention at the stores for a while now, but I just couldn't convince myself to purchase such a small bottle for $35.  Maker's Mark produced this limited release bourbon in 375ml bottles, and it always seemed there was a full sized bottle of something else that I'd rather have.  Eventually, though, I found myself heading to the store for the specific purpose of grabbing a bottle.

I'm a fan of Maker's Mark to begin with.  When I'm out and the selection is limited, it is usually my go-to bourbon.  Accordingly, it should follow that I would enjoy the higher proof version.

At 113.3 proof, the burn is significantly stronger than the standard Maker's Mark.  That being said, it's one of the smoother higher proof bourbons I've had.

This is a sweet bourbon, with grain/cereal flavor in the background, while flavors of vanilla and caramel take center stage.  There is also a nuttiness to it, blending perfectly with all the other flavors.  It absolutely has the flavor profile of Maker's Mark, but with much more complexity and robustness to it. 

The alcohol burn lingered slightly on the finish, along with a mild spiciness that complemented the up-front sweetness very well.  This is also a thicker feeling bourbon than regular Maker's Mark, causing its flavors to linger much longer, providing that much more enjoyment.

My only critique is that I only wish I could buy it in larger bottles (I'd buy it by the gallon!).  That being said, there may be something to the notion that it allows the distiller to make a limited release more available to consumers.  This bottle went way to quickly, though, which was a bummer because I really didn't want the bottle to end.  Despite the small bottle and high price, I found this one to be worth every penny--an absolutely great bourbon!

Grade: A