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By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/23/2019 | Send Email
Neal and I have a friendly rivalry going since we blended these casks side by side. While I may swear in good fun that "my" cask is better, the truth is they're both excellent, but very, very different. Slightly darker in color and tone than cask #5, Neal's cask #6 is more the bass, while #5 occupies an alto range of flavors. Much weightier on the palate, the heavier use of French oak creates a deep and varied array of chocolates, coffee, toffee, and hints of herbs that lay down the funky bass line for a Maker's walk on the wild side. A perfect cigar bourbon if you will, or just a lovely sweet treat to cap off a glorious night.
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By: Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/8/2019 | Send Email
Trying our two barrels side by side was a fun experience and clearly highlights the effects different staves can have on the whiskey. While barrel #5 had fruitier esters, #6 has more oak influence and baking spices, raisin box, umeshu, peanut brittle and demerara sugar dominate the nose. The palate is ridiculously soft as notes of brown sugar, orange peel, and rice crispy treats mix with a sweet herbal note and a slow burn building up to the finish.
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By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/14/2019 | Send Email
This barrel tastes better with a splash of water,which seems to open it up and to release the flavors and aromas that this barrel has to offer.The nose is sweet with a floral background.In the mouth it is a rich honey sweet with some subtle spice flavors. The finish is long and sweet.
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By: Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/12/2019 | Send Email
Ahhh, the austere and amazing Barrel 6 (a.k.a. The Neal Barrel)! This was such a fun project, and I'm glad that Maker's Mark invited Andrew and I to blend not just one, but TWO batches of Private Select for K&L. It was amazing how different the bourbon can be with slight changes to the stave additions. So, it isn't too much of a surprise that my barrel is vastly different from Andrew's. This blend that I concocted makes use of a high proportion of seared French cuvée staves and toasted French spice staves. The extra toast and focus on French oak more than American gives this bottling a truly robust woody snap and a big, spicy bite. If Andrew's batch is like classic Maker's Mark, brilliantly intensified, then the Neal barrel is like Maker's Mark's edgier older cousin who got kicked out of school as a teenager. Cinnamon cooked in butter, baked clove, and fresh pepper hit the nose first. The scents get darker and spicier with more nosing with additions of powdered cocoa. On the palate, there's molasses and burnt sugar, then tannic oak spice. Toward the finish, coffee and more savory elements emerge. This bourbon is bold and beautiful.
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By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/8/2019 | Send Email
While Barrel #5 may play into a more classic, true-to-form style of American bourbon, this Barrel #6 hits you with a lot more exotic spice and lifted character. Pretty, with fewer American oak notes, this is a fun break from the classic Maker's Mark profile. This is a phenomenal example of how much flavor the combination of staves can add to a whisky. A true one-off, single barrel that won't be back once it's gone.
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