Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2024 Limited Release
Maker's Mark · Maker's Mark Distillery
This limited release demonstrates the distillery's skill with custom stave finishing, coaxing complexity from their signature wheated mash bill. It's confident bourbon that rewards patience. A strong argument for what Loretto limestone and local grain can become.
Nose
Toasted oak and caramel lead, followed by a wave of dried cherry and vanilla custard. A faint thread of wheat sweetness emerges with time, supported by baking spice.
Palate
Rich and layered with butterscotch, charred wood, and dark fruit. The mouthfeel is viscous without being heavy, carrying notes of leather, brown sugar, and a dusting of cocoa powder into the mid-palate.
Finish
Long and warming, with oak tannins balanced by caramel sweetness. Cherry and wheat linger on the exhale.
- Mash Bill
- 70% Red Winter Wheat, 16% Corn, 14% Malted Barley (approximate wheated bill)
- Barrel Type
- New American Oak with custom toasted stave finishing
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Copper Current — 2 oz Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series · 0.75 oz Demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into rocks glass with large cube, express orange peel.
Food Pairing
The caramelized sorghum glaze mirrors the bourbon's butterscotch while the pork's smoky fat stands up to the charred oak finish. Serve with pickled ramps for acidity.
Crafted at the Maker's Mark Distillery on Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, where Bill Samuels Sr. chose the site in 1953 for its iron-free limestone spring water and rolling hills of grain country.
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