Maker’s Mark Unveils Limited-Edition ‘Wood Finishing Series’ Bourbons
Two new bourbons gloriously aged in American Oak are coming soon.
What if we told you it would soon be possible to get not one, but two of your favorite whiskies from the same famed distillery? That’s what Maker’s Mark has in mind for the forthcoming release of the first of two limited-edition, complementary bourbons, beginning with the release of Wood Finishing Series FAE-01 in March.
The counterpart to this bourbon, FAE-02, will drop this fall, but in the meantime, fans and newfound enthusiasts of Maker’s Mark should make space in their bar cart for the wood stave-finished whiskey.
As Maker’s Mark describes it, the distinctive whiskey from the Wood Finishing Series (debuting for the third year in a row) all comes down to Maker’s careful and complex whiskey production. Namely, Maker’s Mark doesn’t chill-filter its whiskey (this is when the whiskey is chilled to below freezing temperatures). Forgoing the chill-filtering process helps Maker’s Mark whiskey “retain its signature character and depth of flavor,” according to the distillery.
That should be music to the ears (and tastebuds) of any longtime fan of Maker’s Mark, seeing as the resulting whiskey gets even better through the aforementioned wood stave finishing process. Custom American Oak staves (the narrow lengths of wood that make up barrel sides) are added before further aging, creating a flavorful, nuanced whiskey that any sipper will appreciate.
And the unique name of the whiskey itself? FAE refers to the organic compounds that remain in the whiskey without chill filtering, giving Maker’s Mark both fruit tones and variations in texture. So, FAE-01 staves are charred on one side to imbue notes of tobacco and leather, while the raw side of the stave provides the fresh fruit character to create perfect harmony.
It’s a complex process that’s hard to get right, but Maker’s Mark will release a second wood-finished series in the fall, with a focus on rich and weighty texture rather than fruity notes. Long story short: You’re going to want to buy both of these releases.
The end result of Maker’s Mark FAE-01 is something that “tastes exactly how our barrel warehouse smells,” with woody richness and fig notes at the forefront, Maker’s Mark says. Sounds too good to pass up, right?
“If you’ve ever walked through a rick house and taken a deep breath, you can almost taste the bourbon in the air, and that’s the experience we’ve created with FAE-01,” said Maker’s Mark Director of Innovation Jane Bowie.
As we’ve said before, don’t pass up this release. And one final bit of good news: You can find this new Maker’s Mark release starting March 1 nationwide for $59.99. We’ll have another round, please and thanks.
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