K&L Exclusive: A Thrilling Custom Cask from a Kentucky Bourbon Icon – American Whiskey News
An Exclusive Custom Cask from a Bourbon Icon
Maker’s Mark 46 K&L Exclusive “Maker’s Squared” 109 Proof Private Select Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($69.99)
“This is easily the best first pour of ANY Maker’s Private Select that I’ve yet to try.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer
It’s been a while, but one of our most popular K&L Exclusive Cask line-ups is back in action. During their recent trip to the hallowed halls of the Maker’s Mark distillery in Kentucky, K&L buyers Andrew Whiteley and David Othenin-Girard were able to re-kindle the Maker’s Mark Private Select program to great success. For those unfamiliar, it’s a collaboration between the iconic bourbon distillery and our own intrepid spirits team to develop a custom-cask whiskey aged to our exact specifications. This latest entry is unlike any past Private Select offerings in that it introduces an all-new stave to the mix—the Roasted French Mendiant. While this experimental process can sometimes yield results that depart from the classic character of Maker’s, this is one keeps true to its roots like none other. As David explains, “It has all the classic Maker’s flavors, just turned up by a full order of magnitude, hence the name Maker’s Squared.” Fans of this quintessential Kentucky whiskey will find everything they’re looking for in this cask-strength powerhouse, with the added complexity of the unique aging vessel. It’s truly a singular piece of spirits craftsmanship, and it’s only available while our limited supplies last.
K&L Notes: David and Andrew carefully crafted the two latest Maker’s Mark Private Select casks overlooking the on-site reservoir behind the distillery. They had two goals in mind—transporting drinkers to this special spot in Loretto, KY with one dram and showcasing the brand new stave profile in the other. In the end, the goals required two seperate casks. Maker’s Squared is the transportation cask. Working closely with the Maker’s team, staves were chosen to truly highlight the soft wheat and sweet American oak that is so critical to the world-renowned profile of Maker’s Mark. Three Baked American Pure staves amp up the vanilla and toasted coconut. Two Seared French Cuvée staves bring out a bit more spice and tannic bite, which interplays with the higher 109 proof beautifully. Three Roasted French Mendiant staves (the new entry in the line-up) highlight a sweet milk chocolate profile that is often overlooked but always present in the classic Maker’s. And two Toasted French Spice staves act as a binding agent to bring the other three profiles together with Maker’s hallmark balance. The end result is perhaps the best barrel we’ve ever put together under this incredible cask program. Entirely Maker’s Mark, yet something more powerful and robust without yielding balance. It could be called nothing but Maker’s Squared.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 02, 2022
The Maker’s Mark barrel program is a really fun although somewhat nerve-wracking endeavor. In a general sense, cask strength Maker’s is so good on its own, my general goal when building a blend is not to screw those flavors up too much. That means I end up with a lot of baked American staves in my blends as it always seemed like the most unobtrusive. But the addition of the new Mendiant stave has changed the game somewhat, offering another flavor option to balance the spicy, roasted character of the other French oak staves. It’s still extremely uncertain, after spending an hour playing with different blends at the distillery, you still can’t be sure exactly how it will turn out, and I was absolutely astonished with the results. This is easily the best first pour of ANY Maker’s private selection that I’ve yet to try. That’s not a knock on our other barrels, but often the overt woody character that these barrels exhibit integrates with air. This one was seamless right out of the bottle and is likely to keep getting better. It has all the classic Maker’s flavors, just turned up by a full order of magnitude, hence the name Maker’s Squared. The color is a gorgeous auburn tawny. The nose bursts from the glass with rich, dried stone and orchard fruits, dense vanilla extract, subtle baking spice, and the gorgeous toasted barrel character. As it opens in the glass, the fruit becomes more tropical—hints of green banana, mango, and passion fruit. Like all Maker’s, it’s barrel-driven but doesn’t have the fresh-cut wood that so many Private Selections start with. Instead, it’s all dense, sweet, roasted spices. On the palate, it’s rich and chewy, adding dark chocolate, fresh gooey nougat, and deep raisinated fruit, all balanced with a sweet wood spice that lasts for several minutes. This is a dang good barrel that really reinvigorates my interest in this program—mostly because it reminds me of Maker’s so much. An instant classic. Welcome to the team, Roasted French Mendiant!
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 02, 2022
Quite possibly the best Private Select cask I’ve tasted, this bottling fires on all cylinders. Fans of the FAE series will find a lot to enjoy here. Rather than the intensely sugary style of some Maker’s releases, this is hot and powerful. Nougat, dried fruit, caramel, and toffee nut clusters dominate the palate. At 109 proof, ethanol is readily apparent on the nose, but the flavor is fully integrated and rich. Tons of wood character and spice remain present throughout tasting, but never feel overblown. Serious bourbon fans should not pass this bottle up, but folks just getting into barrel-proof whiskey will still have a great time with this one. Get yours before they’re gone.
