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Maker’s Mark FAE-02 Bourbon Review

Posted on 18-October-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark FAE-02 Bourbon Review

Original review written October 16, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The balance and blend of FAE-02 is absolutely spectacular, and may even be one of the best blends I have ever tasted. A bit of everything for everyone- I’m confident I’ll get another bottle. 94/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: 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– Casks: unpublished char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: 54.55% (109.1 proof)
– Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho (2021)

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

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

FAE-02 would be a great bourbon to have with you when looking at colorful, Christmas lights out in the neighborhood. All of the colors – even with the cold – match the personality of this bourbon while warming you enough to combat the freezing air. It’s a glass full of happiness, richness, and good times. For me, that’s going out at the holidays to look at decorations amidst the snow, and maybe even with a carol on the lips.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

NOSE:

I find the wheat of the mash bill sweetened by vanilla and caramel on the first inhale. With it, is a light brown sugar and butterscotch for sweetness. I also find an old leather and rich barrel char that is almost – but not quite – smoky. Spice continues along with the baking theme and seems most like cinnamon, but there could be a few stray peppercorns as well. I can’t identify too many fruits on this nose, aside from a stray bright apple-y note and strangely enough, raisins. And when I say raisins, it’s more akin to that familiar red carton raisin, than fresh raisins you’re going to find in a grocery store.

There’s a bit of a nip of alcohol here, and deep inhales burn slightly, but even soft inhales can give you a sting every now and then. While this nose isn’t entirely complex, it’s still rich and warm, and I’m very excited to give it a try.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This is really a lot like velvet in the mouth. It’s soft as it just sits, waiting to be enjoyed, but it has texture once you roll it around a little, which I really love.
– Balance: Fantastic. I think you get a bit of everything in this pour. The spice backs up the sweet, and the bitter prevents either from becoming too forward. Just a really well-blended bourbon that is fun.
– Visual: Auburn in color, there are many fast-dropping, thick legs that fall from a thin crown. The crown turns quickly to solely a thin ring, but it does linger for a moment.

– Taste: Warm, baking spices come across the palate first like allspice and clove being particularly potent. There’s a bitter, nutty element at the back of the sip, perhaps like hazelnuts. Nevertheless, there is still sweetness to be found, with light vanilla, an angel food cake component (with fluffiness to match), and simple syrup. There’s a bit more cherry here also, and a deep version of fruit cup syrup. I can taste the richness of the green grapes in said syrup quite well.

The essence of oak is here rather than being any kind of bold, but it does its job well binding flavors together. The alcohol has just the right amount of kick to be interesting, but it isn’t what I would call overwhelming at all. When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the bitterness of the hazelnuts comes back along with some of those wrinkled green grapes – sans fruit cup syrup this time.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The warmth tickles at the back of the throat, and I get some flavor sticking around on top of that.
– Between Sips: The bitter hazelnuts sit with me the most between sips, with a hint of caramel as well.

– No More: Rich and consistent the further into the glass I get, and with this pour, that isn’t a bad thing at all. I love this and am quite content that it’s stayed this good throughout.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet, seasoned oak. A hint of caramel left to top off this great pour.

WORTH THE PRICE?

$70 is indeed a lot, but if any of the Wood Finishing Series were going to be worth this number, I do think it would be FAE-02. The balance alone makes for such a treat, and the flavors are ones that practically anyone can thoroughly enjoy. I might be buying another. And if you can find this, you should buy it too.

MAKER’S MARK FAE-02 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 94/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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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.

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Maker’s Mark SE4-PR5 Bourbon Review

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

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark SE4-PR5 Bourbon Review

Original review written October 9, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

I like that each aspect of this bourbon, whether from the nose, to the palate to the finish has something new to offer. It’s unique, and certainly original. 96/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Wheated Whiskey; Wood Finishing Series
– Age: nas (believed to be about 6 yrs. old)
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted Barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished; Staves used consisted of SE4 and PR5 which give notes of caramel and vanilla respectively
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 56.25% (112.5 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho in 2020

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

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

The feel of this bourbon is so unbelievably homey, I can only think of a tire swing while enjoying it. The setting may be simple, but the nostalgia that comes with it, matched with the complexity of this bourbon make for quite the pair. Even if you’re just staring at that familiar tire swing with a smile and nothing else, I think Maker’s SE4-PR5 would go absolutely great with the moment.

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

NOSE:

Salted caramel jumps from the glass first, and it is very strong, making me salivate almost instantly. There are a lot of stone fruits present also, from nectarines to plums, as well as dried fruits like currants and chocolate covered raisins. There are even some apple blossoms and straight up apples that work to brighten up the glass. The salted caramel is particularly dominant; however, there are other sweet flavors like maple candies and brown sugar too. Subtle allspice (maybe a bit heavier on the cinnamon side) backs up these sweeter flavors quite well, and a new oak finish pulls them all together. The alcohol is mild, but on deep inhales, you can certainly find it.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This has a creamier mouth feel, but at the same time feels almost frothy. It’s a bit of a surprise, but it’s still quite interesting, and I find that I like it!
– Balance: Really love this one. Every flavor blends seamlessly into the next with no flavors sticking out like they don’t belong. Just really, really solid.
– Visual: Flame in color, there are plenty of thin, fast-dropping legs, but no crown. Instead, there are many clinging droplets in suspension around the glass.

– Taste: While the front of the palate has a hit of caramel and now a sudden dark vanilla, the end of the sip is decidedly fruity. In fact, it seems to be the apple from the nose, as there is a crisp brightness that lifts each sip. Nevertheless, I can still find raisins for an initial darker tone, along with plums and cherries. Both are mixed with some of the allspice from the nose for another layer of complexity. I still think some of that saltiness from the nose is here too, but I am less inclined to attach it to the caramel on the palate. Instead, it seems to reside in a more nutty toffee element, as there is some extra earthiness to this salty sweetness. The oak is a bit more aged on the palate, but it still functions to meld the flavors together quite well.

Although the alcohol has a bit of a nip to it, it is still mild and makes for a fun textural component. I think it also works to provoke the flavors into actually being bold enough to be recognizable. When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the alcohol burn grows in intensity, even after the sip is gone. What is left behind are cherries, almond, vanilla and oak – oh, what a classic combination.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. The warmth isn’t quite as intense as it could be, but it does last for a little while. We’ll call it a happy medium – long enough to be satisfied, short enough that I’m eager for another sip soon.
– Between Sips: I find that the wood is more prevalent in this space between sips. It’s chewy, it’s warm, and it’s even still rich.

– No More: There are more cherries appearing the further I get into the glass, and the overall essence of this bourbon just seems to get richer.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet, and gentle oak. It’s mild, but with a slightly saltiness, I’m tempted already to go pour myself even more. I’m honestly quite impressed with this bourbon, especially after not having been particularly wowed by RC6. I wish I had another bottle of SE4-PR5 ready to enjoy after this current bottle is gone. As such… I suppose I’ll have to hold off on that second pour…

WORTH THE PRICE?

At $60 USD, though this batch is out of stores and no longer to be found, absolutely it was worth that $60. I’m glad we have it, and I’ll do my best to stretch out the inevitable and keep it around for as long as possible.

MAKER’S MARK SE4-PR5 BORUBON REVIEW RATING: 96/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 96/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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