Maker's Mark Private Select Bourbon

Markers, but better

Nose: creamy caramel, vanilla, sweet oak Palate: toasty chocolate, caramel, coffee Finish: like sucking on a coffee bean

"Chocolate Marmalade" pick by OHLQ. 110.9 proof, bottled SEP2020. Stave profile: 2 Baked American Pure, 2 Seared French Cuvée, and 6 Roasted French Mocha. Not listed on the app, and I don't have a good, unopened bottle photo in order to add it (which I found seems to matter to nobody except myself). The Maker's Mark Private Selection program has to be one of the best ideas in bourbon, period. Not only is there so much customization involved, but it's a great way to bond a little closer with your favorite stores and bars. Plus, having been to the underground "library" and seen just how much has already been made, being able to have another one is exciting no matter the profile. This one means a good amount to me, as it was a Christmas gift from a good friend. I don't like to give bottles to others personally, but any time somebody gives me something so custom (and somehow found in OH, no less), I feel pretty flattered. The smell easily has chocolate on it, more so raw cocoa powder, with some citrus behind it, but not necessarily orange. A ~110 proof whiskey is easily the perfect range to unlock a lot of flavors, and also works well with the nose itself, allowing easy access to the scent without being too overpowering. Caramel, vanilla, and oak are also present, but these are classic notes found in Maker's Mark cask strength anyway. So, I've never had a Private Selection with this many of the Roasted French Mocha, and always wondered if it was really so potent with the delivery of the "mocha" profile. Well, it's definitely true to the name. I didn't know how or if coffee would come into play, but it does, and after the hit from the chocolate; I would equate it to a chocolate covered espresso bean. The finish is hot and long, which is expected from the base cask strength, but what was a taste and feeling of liquid chocolate changes to cocoa powder that coats the gums and stays around for a bit. If there are any other flavors imparted from the other 4 staves, I don't get them well enough to distinguish it from regular cask strength. Notably, the citrus/orange that was expected to be found (from the name) is missing for me. The individual that gifted me this had also purchased a different Private Selection profile (I do not remember the specifics of the profile), and let me try that one as well. As it turns out, I liked his bottle better, and he liked mine better. But he flipped a coin in order to gift me this, so we honored it (I guess we'll just have to visit more often). One of the reasons I liked this profile less than the other one I tried is due to the high sweetness, imparted not only from the wheat in the base spirit, but the added "mocha" flavor from the stave combo. If you told me this was a flavored whiskey, I may believe you, and the only aspect I would question is why and how someone would produce a flavored whiskey at such a high proof. However, there's certainly nothing else in my collection with a flavor like this, and this still easily hits the sweet spot when you need a little high proof burn (or in my case, when you can't stand drinking watered down offerings any longer).