Wheated Whiskey Archives – Page 9 of 27

Maker’s Mark FAE-01 Bourbon

Posted on 16-October-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Maker’s Mark FAE-01 Bourbon

reviewed 12-October-2012

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 BOURBON REVIEW:

Maker’s Mark FAE-01 (Maker’s FAE-01) is a nice bourbon. Its nose sets the stage … woody, but with a few fruits and spices which allow its brown sugar to pass to the palate and finish. I like this whiskey and will enjoy the rest of the bottle.

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Straight Bourbon Finished with Oak Staves
Region: Loretto, KY
Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Maker’s Mark
Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: 110
Age: nas
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 55.3% (110.6 Proof)
Release Date: March 2021
Price: $59.95 (Idaho, 2021)

For FAE-01, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon is finished by adding ten American oak staves to the aged barrel. Prior to entry, the staves were toasted on one side, and left raw on the other. The finishing staves impart a strong wood influence and brings a deeper complexity to the traditional cask strength bourbon.

The name FAE-01 (while resembling a license plate number) is actually a nod to the Fatty Acid Esters created during the distillation and Non-chill-filtering processes.

_{“Our third limited release from the Maker’s Mark® Wood Finishing Series joins our previous years’ expressions in honoring our signature bourbon … We like to say it tastes exactly how our barrel warehouse smells, with rich figgy notes complemented by tobacco undertones and a pleasantly dank woodiness.”}
^{— Maker’s Mark}

Click Maker’s Mark to learn more.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 NOSE:

Maker’s FAE-01 nips at the nose with a bit of ethanol at first waft. But its woodiness is most dominant as I continue nosing. I feel as though I’m in the forest during harvest as strong fresh cut oak springs from the glass. Then the wood goes to the cooperage and becomes toasted. I smell smoky sweet oak and hazy barrel char. Continued nosing brings blossoming fruit trees, roasted corn and ripe wheat fields ready for cutting. FAE-01’s fruits and spices are scant, just a few Maraschino cherries and plump red gourmet raisins mixed with powdered ginger and white pepper. But oh the sweets … Rich vanilla and buttery, brown sugar caramel. This bourbon smells like a confectionery workshop.

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 PALATE:

Maker’s FAE-01 has a warm bite when first sipped, but the heat diminishes quickly. It is strongly herbal and wheaty with only a single component of fruit which comes in as sweet cherry juice. But baking spices of cinnamon, pepper and brine over slightly toasted wheat bread provide a springboard for the sweetness of woody brown sugar caramel and almond toffee to shine. And while the nose was quite woody, I taste sweet oak, toasted wood and barrel char. The taste of FAE-01 is quite simple.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The aromas and flavors of Maker’s FAE-01 are well blended. There is a slight tickle on the tongue when first held, but it fades quickly into a buttery and viscous nectar. After each sip, irregularly spaced fat legs transport the dregs to the tawny pool leaving behind an oddly spaced large drop crown.

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 FINISH:

Maker’s Mark FAE-01 has a warm and wheaty medium finish. I feel swallowed cherry juice in my throat along with a dusting of cinnamon and rich vanilla. The finish has plenty of sweetness which presents as buttery, brown sugared caramel toffee. And like the palate, the woodiness is slight, just toasted barrel char. As the dram is downed sweet oak and a little brown sugar wafts from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
The Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series is something I will always purchase regardless of the rating of the last release.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

Maker’s Mark FAE-01 Bourbon Review

Posted on 16-October-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark FAE-01 Bourbon Review

Original review written October 12, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This one is full of unique flavor, but with a strange bittersweet-ness going on, and at $60 USD nonetheless, this one of the Wood Finishing Series I’ll pass on. 83/100

VITALS:

– Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distillery: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Wheated Whiskey; Wood Finishing Series
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Non-chill filtered
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 55.3% (110.6 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho (2021)

Visit makersmark.com for more information on the wood staves used for this bourbon

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine enjoying a cool fall afternoon with some Maker’s FAE-01, trudging through puddles and smiling at the splash that they create. There’s enough going on to keep you intrigued, while being able to put it on the back burner when one puddle looks too tempting to ignore.

Photo by Gary Ellis on Unsplash

NOSE:

Rainer cherries, vanilla custard and even some dark blackberries come out of the glass first; however, I wouldn’t say the nose is definitively only fruity sweetness. I also get some nutty toffee that is quite apparent, along with some smoked maple. In fact, the smokiness on the maple even is as if it’s paired with something savory like bacon. (I’m not sure if I’ve ever gotten this flavor on the nose of a whiskey before.) The maple bacon together still works to be sweet overall, and I daresay it’s as though I’m smelling maple bacon donuts. It goes along with a wood, but I’m not convinced that it is an oaky woodiness, rather perhaps cedar, as it’s a bit more bold.

Now that the glass has had a moment to breathe, it’s hard to find those initial fruity tones, but I cannot ignore that they were definitely there. There is a scent of alcohol too (much like finger nail polish remover alcohol), but it isn’t overly affronting, and it certainly is not going to burn.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This has a mellow mouth feel. Nothing too noteworthy, other than it just isn’t bad.
– Balance: The blend of all of the flavors works, but it still allows for all of them to be discernable from each other, so I wouldn’t call it entirely seamless.
– Visual: Tawny in color, there are many clinging droplets as well as fast-dropping, thick legs.

– Taste: While not coming across as dark, this has the bittersweet-ness of molasses on the first sip, along with even some honey notes. The molasses lends itself to a cookie-like element that definitely does make me smile. With it comes almost an artificial grape flavor that comes from cough syrup. It is brightened up noticeably by some golden delicious apples that prevent that artificial grape from getting too gritty in texture. The wood takes over for the texture side of things and seems to have converted from the cedar of the nose to decidedly oak.

I wouldn’t say that this is overly complex, but it’s still relatively decent. It’s certainly unique given the flavor profile I’ve found in it. The flavors aren’t exactly all my favorites (except the molasses cookies), but they somehow manage to work together well enough. I think if anything I’m just quite confused by this bourbon.

The alcohol is mild, and I can let it sit on my palate for some time without even feeling a burn. When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the bittersweet notes comes back in spades, turning that molasses cookie into more of a buttery shortbread that is just a little short on vanilla. Still, the alcohol isn’t bothersome and any burn from the chew fades relatively quickly.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium-long. I get some warmth and some residual flavor, but it’s the warmth that lasts the longest.
– Between Sips: The bittersweet flavors from the palate are most recognizable here between sips, and I’m a little disheartened by this.

– No More: This gets more briny the further into the glass that I get, which only works to make my palate more confused.

The empty Glencairn is a mild oak that just leaves me wanting. It could be deeper, richer… a whole host of things, and it just is not.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Out of the Wood Finishing Series, I will definitely say that this one is not my favorite, and I do not think I’d buy it again, regardless of what the price is. It’s not a bad bourbon, and if you love the unique flavors, I would assume $60 would be a fair price. Nevertheless, I don’t think I’ll lament too much once this bottle is gone.

MAKER’S MARK FAE-01 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 83/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 83/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

Back to…

Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Maker’s Mark SE4xPR5 Bourbon Review

Posted on 11-October-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Maker’s Mark SE4xPR5 Bourbon Review:

reviewed 09-September-2021

MAKER’S MARK SE4xPR5 BOURBON REVIEW:

Maker’s SE4xPR5 began as standard Maker’s Mark, in batches of less than 1,000 gallons. Developed in partnership with Independent Stave Company, ten seasoned staves were placed in newly-emptied Maker’s barrels which were then refilled and warehoused for additional aging. The final product comes from a blend of 55% four week old PR5 stave aged bourbon, 32% five week aged SE4, and 13% six week aged SE4.

This bottle of Maker’s Mark SE4xPR5 (Maker’s SE4xPR5) has been lurking in the bunker for for over a year. It s a well balanced bourbon with nearly all fruit, spice, sweet and woody aromas and flavors passing through to the medium finish. SE4xPR5 is a fine pour.

MAKER’S MARK SE4xPR5 VITAL STATS:

Category: Wheated Whiskey
Region: Loretto, KY
Distillery: Maker’s Mark
Mashbill: 70% corn; 16% soft red winter wheat; 14% malted barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel Entry Proof: 110
Age: nas (believed to be about 6 years old)
Aging Stave Profile: SE4 – Virgin toasted American oak to enhance caramel notes and PR5 – Virgin French oak to enhance vanilla
ABV: 56.25% (112.5 Proof)
Purchase Price: $59.95 USD (2020 – Idaho)

_{“Our second-annual limited release from the Maker’s Mark^® Wood Finishing Series is an utterly unique bourbon that’s also a worthy tribute to the one-of-a-kind vanilla and caramel taste notes that make our signature Maker’s Mark® so distinctive.”}
^{— Maker’s Mark}

Click Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series to learn more.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces were added to two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

MAKER’S MARK SE4xPR5 NOSE:

Maker’s SE4xPR5 has an intriguing non-assertive nose. At first waft, the bourbon smells of dry tannins with only a soft nip of alcohol. Then I sensed herbal roasted corn, dusty wheat and dried fruits of dark currents, raisins, and figs. The liquid is almost briny with baking spice notes of white pepper, allspice, and rich vanilla infused graham crackers. SE4xPR5’s sweet aromas come in as maple sugar candy and woody, dark caramel. Salty cashews build on the brine and provide a firm foundation as seasoned dried oak, toasted wood and dark barrel char round out this earthy treat.

MAKER’S MARK SE4xPR5 PALATE:

Maker’s SE4xPR5 offers little if any alcohol in each warming tannin filled sip. Most aromas pass to the palate as herbal roasted corn, dried currants and dark figs marry with spices of ginger, and black pepper. I also taste cinnamon dusted dark toasted wheat bread, faint vanilla and woody, dark salted caramel. Like the nose, this liquid treat is built on dry seasoned oak, toasted wood, barrel char, and a hint drowned campfire ash. SE4xPR5 is a leathery and deliciously earthy bourbon.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Maker’s SE4xPR5 is solid and well blended. The first sip is gentle, viscous, oily, and easy to hold. When each sip is downed, a curtain of syrupy liquid breaks into fat evenly spaced legs returning the liquid to the flame colored pool. Only a tiny droplet clinging crown remains.

MAKER’S MARK SE4xPR5 FINISH:

Just like on the nose and palate, Maker’s Mark SE4xPR5 has a medium length, tannin filled, dry and warm, non-assertive alcohol finish. Dried dark fruit, cinnamon and pepper are only slightly diminished as woody, dark caramel blends into earthy leather. As I finish the last drop, seasoned dry oak, toasted wood, and barrel char fade away as vanilla, caramel and oak waft up from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
The Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series is something I will always purchase regardless of the rating of the last release.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews