Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 FAE-02

Strong sweet vanilla on the nose with subtle hint of oak. Vanilla and oak are very strong on first sip with hints of char and tannic tendencies. Ice doesn’t change age much, adds to the oak and char. Not very complex but very enjoyable and I would have seconds.

Very nice oak forward note . Definite sweetness with just a very slight tinge on proof. Taste really follows the nose. Spicy on taste and finish. Just a slight hint on the proof, but the finish is very long. Nice cherry on aftertaste as well. Again my only criticism is the very slight ethanol I get on the taste and nose. Recommend.

Ignited by the glorious bourbon that is RC6, I immediately became a fan of Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series. Like a chump, I assumed I would be able to get my hands on every bottling locally and I was dead wrong. I finally, recently grabbed a bottle of FAE-02 but am still on the hunt for SE4 PR5, trying to squeeze these tastes in before BRT 01 and 02 release for me to either order or purchase in store. The nose is sweet and powerful. Brown sugar and licorice are the predominant scents to me. Initial taste is all sweet. Milk chocolate, vanilla and honey greet you warmly but blend into slightly bitter and aromatic spices like cinnamon and ginger. A slightly bitter finish gives way to a interesting fresh herbaceous quality. Kind of reminds me of mint ( the herb, not like toothpaste ). Kind of tastes like some rye on the mash bill but classed up a bit for this special bottling. The finish stays spicy and the the mouthfeel is a bit thin and disappears into a slightly bitter and powdery texture on the tongue like dark chocolate powder. I've only had the pleasure of tasting RC6, FAE01 and now FAE02 in the Maker's Mark Wood Finishing series and this is really my least favorite of the 3. However, as a standalone bourbon its really quite good. It brings across some qualities you don't expect out of makers, particularly that refreshing herbaceous spice flavor on the finish. Try FAE02 if you can but don't go out of your way to hunt down a bottle.

Apple, maple, black tea spice, cinnamon

Nose is nicely pungent featuring cola, root beer, chocolate, red apple, ginger, and soft green oak. Some persistent ethanol keeps you from getting in there and huffing as much as you would like to. Palate opens with caramel and vanilla, followed by milk chocolate, orange peel, Spanish peanut skin, and a more mature (slightly bitter) oak than the nose indicated but it brings balance. Flavor lingers on the tongue for an exceptionally long amount of time, a quality which I found enjoyable. Finish is of medium length and goes into a baking spice bloom of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and ginger. Hint of star anise as well. This edition is supposed to showcase mouthfeel and in this it does not disappoint as the feel is smooth and silky and while it’s definitely a plus, it doesn’t quite match the decidedly spicy finish if that makes any sense. (But I’m splitting hairs here) Not quite as good as FAE-01, but still a very enjoyable whiskey with a lot going on. Manages to showcase the good things about Makers (rich cake-like sweetness) while minimizing its flaws (excessive spiciness) At $75, I’d probably buy another assuming there was one sitting on the shelf (fat chance)

Bought this at MM distillery. Was initially planning on buying FA-01 at the gift shop until the tour guide assured me that FA-02 was “the best thing we’ve ever made.” And boy oh boy does it deliver. Cheesecake and baking spices on the palate, moving into chocolate and fruity flavors on the palate. Great mouthfeel and long finish. If you can get this for MSRP it’s an absolute steal.