Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2022 BRT-02

On the nose: Chocolate, Walnut, Pecans Palate: Creamy, chocolate covered pecans and hints of vanilla Finish: Smooth oaky taste with a warm melted caramel Definitely my favorite Makers I’ve had. Will be picking up another bottle soon before it goes out of stock.

Gave this the same rating as BRT-01 but felt 01 had the edge. Smells chocolatey and is a bit hotter than 01. Solid pour.

Makers' two BRT bottlings (BRT is short for barrel rotation) are the latest iterations of its Wood Finishing Series. BRT-02 begins life as MM Cask Strength, and adds French Oak staves, kept in the cooler bottom of the rickhouse. Beautiful deep-orange tinted clear mahogany. Effusive nose shows caramel, butterscotch, Chinese five spice, mincemeat, peanut brittle, warm Raisinettes, and vanilla, with a touch of ethanol. Some heat on the palate, with a slightly viscous mouthfeel, with more caramel and sweet oak, finishing with a long pull of vanilla. All in, a sweet, powerful, hedonistic, and cerebral bourbon. Bottled at 109.4 proof. 4.5 stars on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in Glencairn glasses.

Dark Amber color, nose of caramel, fruit, and chocolate. Alcohol on the palate with long finish with notes of chocolate and fruit. A tasty pour that is surprisingly hot for the abv and for makers

Nose of faint leather Palate of soft cinnamon ice-cream and oak Finish is medium short oak char and clove Also a nice pour

From nose to finish, this is a stack of fluffy pancakes with a giant pad of butter, all drowned in maple syrup. I absolutely LOVE this whiskey

Sweet, dark nose, with caramel and brown sugar and a hint of smoke. Big apple palate, with a big, long, dark sugary finish. Makers did it again. Delicious.

Nose: citrus with a single malt note. Faint char and vanilla. Taste: sweet. Not very complex and light bodied. Chocolate shines through on the back palette like a tootsie roll with a hint of cinnamon. Lots of corn. Wish it had more body to it. Finish has good dry tannins, maybe a cheerio note there.