Maker's Mark Private Select - Liquor Locker, Hagerstown MD

Last part of this Maker's trio.

It is said that in figuring out the perfect formula for Maker's 46 that the distillery went through all kinds of permutations of oak types, char & toast levels before settling on the one that worked for them.

They decided to bring the same spirit of experimentation to their private barrel purchase program, where clients are able to choose a few options for the 10 staves that will be added to their barrel of Maker's. What's interesting about this process is that it allows a level of customization that is personal to the client's taste but that you're also unlikely to see exactly the same exact profile when buying different store picks as well. I believe @talexander gives more details of the stave types available to client's in his excellent review from this same bottle.

Nose: It starts with a bit of varnished oak, pepper, mocha/cafe au lait, cinnamon red hots and a touch of chili peppers. With time I get ginger, chewy toffee, lightly toasted bread. Coconut cakes with candied cherry. Orange zest & a touch of bacon fat or is that barrel char perhaps?

Palate: Sharp and full, candied fruit, cinnamon candy, cloves, green pepper, menthol,candied peanuts, buttered raisin toast with cinnamon. _There's a lot happening with this one on the palate, all great flavours but it can be a bit relentless.

Finish: A bit of leather, green oak, ginger and pepper, and those toasted peanuts with Sichuan peppercorns

The blab: You can feel the oak pulling tannins over your teeth at first but somehow that's not the most dominant note like in some bourbons. There's an oily, waxy character that is pleasant, a solid bourbon with some interesting twists.

Much thanks to @paddockjudge, this trio was a great lesson.

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