Maker's Mark Private Select Bourbon

107.1 Proof 3 Baked American Pure 2 3 Seared French Cuvée 2 Maker’s 46 1 Toasted French Mocha 1 Toasted French Spice This stuff is simply amazing! It tastes like the rickhouses smell, I don’t know how else to describe it. Had to get a second bottle while I still could!

I avoided Maker's Mark for years. I found their flagship bourbon cloyingly sweet with a weird plastic-y aftertaste. My local store had a promotion on Private Select this week. I bit, but I didn't expect much. I was wrong. This is an incredibly well-balanced bourbon. Still puts sweetness forward but it's a three-dimensional Scotch-like sweetness with an undertone of ethanol burn. Finish is oak and tobacco with a backend of vanilla and dried fruit, all with just the right amount of heat. Will definitely return to this one. Staves were 2 baked American Pure 2, 1 seared French cuvee, 1 Maker's 46, 4 roasted French mocha, and 2 toasted French spice. 110.8 proof.

Vanilla on the nose, Cherry dominant with good zspice notes on taste, otherwise down the middle for a 53.85% ABV.

Sprayberry store pick- 5 seared French cuvée, 4 makers 46, 1 roasted French mocha. Sweet vanilla nose, good body and flavor, lots of vanilla and caramel with a little spice. A bit of a burn. Needs a cube to mellow it out. Very good. Reminds me of weller 107. I have a second Sprayberry pick. This has 1 baked American pure, 5 seared French cuvée, 1 makers 46 and 3 roasted French mocha. Better nose on this one and getting a chocolate smell. More of a syrupy, sweet, chocolate on this one. My preference out of the two.