Maker’s Mark BEP (Maker’s BEP) offers a warm and balanced sensory experience. The aroma and taste profiles are a harmonious blend of fruity notes, which feature red berries, plum, and raisin, paired with subtle spices like ginger and pepper. Yeasty qualities of wheat toast and pie crust meld with the sweetness of brown sugar caramel and honey, while light molasses adds depth. Light vanilla accents hints of cashew mixed in the presence of oak. Each sip is creamy and becomes oily over time, while the warm finish is dry and long with sensations reminiscent of those found on the nose and in the palate.
This limited-release bourbon showcases the influence of Maker’s® unique, 110 barrel entry proof (also known as BEP)
For bourbon, this process delivers more flavor, smoothness, even color. The extra water helps improve the congener concentration, which imparts flavors of caramel, vanilla and baking spice. These decrease as BEPs increase.
On Day 22 of the 2023 30 Bourbons in 30 Days Challenge, approximately four ounces from a newly opened bottle went into my Glencairn. After posting on social media and nosing the pour for the review, about 30 minutes had gone by before taking my first sip.
MAKER’S MARK BEP NOSE:
Maker’s BEP offers warm aromas of fruit tree blossoms mix with fresh notes of sweet corn and wheat. In the scent, hints of red berries nectar, maraschino cherries, and plum, blend with a trace of powdered ginger and nutmeg. There’s also a yeasty quality in which I sense wheat toast and pie crust, with a faint hint chocolate chips. Light vanilla notes mingle with a sweetness similar to caramel corn, simple syrup, light brown sugar, and honey, along with a touch of cashew nuttiness. As I breath in, the gentle presence of light oak and piney woodiness, create fresh and light undertones.
MAKER’S MARK BEP PALATE:
Maker’s BEP combines a warm potpourri of blossoms and herbs with sweet corn and wheaty notes. In the blend I taste notes of apricot, currants, plum, and freshly dried raisin flavors. These fruity elements are balanced by a subtle acidity and hints of ginger and black pepper spice. I get a sensation reminiscent of fresh baked wheat bread with faint bittersweet chocolate undertones and light vanilla accents. As I savor, I pick up notes of caramel corn, brown sugar, dark honey, and light molasses, coupled with a touch of hazelnut. Each sip reveals seasoned dry oak and toasted wood char, keeping the overall profile simple and approachable.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look: I find Maker’s BEP has a pleasing balance. Its aromas and flavors of fruit align with those of wood, and pare nicely with the flora and spice. Notablyof note however, sweetness in the pour possesses a slightly greater intensity. Each sip exhibits creaminess and viscosity, and exhibits increased oiliness with prolonged holding. In the glass, a thin crown of rapidly descending droplets is suspended in the bowl. Following each sip, closely spaced clinging legs swiftly form, to transport the remainder back to the terracotta-colored pool.
MAKER’S MARK BEP FINISH
Maker’s Mark BEP delivers a long and dry throat-warming finish, accompanied by hints of wheat and roasted corn. Hidden within the blend, I perceive more than I taste; there are notes of red berries and dark fruits. Adding to the warmth, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper give a tingle, while rich vanilla, brown sugar, and dark molasses add sweetness. There is a bit of hazelnut bitterness, which I find similar to what I taste on the palate, but they too are much subdued. Deep in each swallow, I feel seasoned dry oak and barrel char. And when the last dram is gone the empty Glencairn smells of faint oak and the blended aroma of the pour.
Larceny Barrel Proof B523 (Larceny B523) is a hot bourbon, and it will likely have many detractors. From the first nosing to the final finish the alcohol makes itself known. Aromas and flavors of currants, raisins, figs, cinnamon, and ginger are common throughout the pour. Also present is vanilla, brown sugar, molasses, heavily seasoned oak, toasted wood, and earthy char. While not for everyone, I like it and will take a finger more please.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B523 VITAL STATS:
Category: Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon Region: Kentucky, USA Distillery: Heaven Hill Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley Barrel Char: #3 Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches contain six to eight year old bourbon) Entry Barrel Proof: 125 ABV: 62.2% (124.4 Proof) NABCA CSC #: 18860 Fair Price: $81.11 (BoozApp, September 2023) Price: $64.95 USD (Idaho, 2023) Distillery Release Date: May 2023 Availability: Limited, Tri-annual Batch Release Batch: B523 ▪”B” Second release of the year ▪”2″ Released in May ▪”23″ of the year 2023
The Larceny line of Bourbon is the modern heir of our historic wheated mashbill, known behind-the-scenes at our distillery as “O.F.D.” or Old Fitzgerald Distillate.
On Day 21 of the 2023 30 Bourbons in 30 Days Challenge, the first one and a half ounces of anewly opened bottle mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating the pours, four once review amounts went into a Glencairnand a Weck. After posting on social media, my daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as I prepared this review. About 30 minutes had gone by before my first sip.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B523 NOSE:
When first brought to my nose, Larceny B523 nearly overwhelms with acetone and ethanol. As I try again, but this time with caution, fruit tree blossoms, a hint of mint, and some herbal, roasted corn peek in. Each inhalation remains hot, but with more shallow draws, I discern berries, currants, raisins, and figs, which seem to be characteristic of Larceny Barrel Proof offerings. Still there is an aire of freshness here too, fresh like a squeeze of fresh citrus. Then come allspice, powdered ginger, and white pepper sprinkled on a cutting board where wheat bread slices and graham crackers have been prepared for snacking. As I noted in other Larceny reviews, the sweets are few as well, although vanilla, caramel corn, light brown sugar, and honeycomb do make an appearance. There is some faint toasted almond here too, however seasoned, dry oak and toasted barrel spice are the backbone of the pour.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B523 PALATE:
The initial sips of Larceny B523 deliver a noticeable alcohol burn, and provide a fairly substantial bite. However, with more deliberate sipping, an earthy vegetal essence becomes apparent, which is characterized by floral, herbal, and roasted corn notes. Intriguingly, these flavors exhibit a slight acidity and subtle bitterness. The aromatic impressions I detected on the nose transition to the palate. Cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper combine in a currant, raisin, and fig jam spread over a graham cracker. Within this blend, I taste rich vanilla and dark, sweet brown sugar, complemented by a drizzle of molasses. These darker elements find their anchor in the robust embrace of heavily seasoned oak, accompanied by hints of barrel tannins, toasted wood, and, of course, earthy char, to enhance the overall depth.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look: While discernible elements in Larceny B523 are limited in number, those present exhibit a well-balanced profile. Fruits stand up to sweets, and both go toe-to-toe with the earthy wood and while not as strong, flora and spice play their roll as well. The first sips are aggressive and the liquid gives the underside of the tongue quite a tickle. As my palate adjusts to the heat, the liquid adopts a viscous and oily texture, making it relatively easy to handle. Peering inside the glass, an irregular crown of broken clinging droplets form. and after each sip, a liquid sheet quickly breaks away into fat evenly spaced legs to transport the dregs back to the mahogany colored pool.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B523 FINISH
The finish of Larceny Barrel Proof B523 creates a medium-long burn in the throat. As it gradually cools to a subdued warmth, barrel tannins meld with currants, raisins, figs, and spices of cinnamon and ginger. Concealed beneath these flavors lie rich vanilla, simple syrup, brown sugar, and dark molasses. However it is the earthy depth which stands alone … heavy, seasoned oak, and ever-present toasted wood and char dominate the finish. And when the last drops are downed, a mild aroma of wood, sugars, and faint red berries waft from the empty Glencairn.
