After the success of Maker’s 46, the grandson of the founders of the company decided to try to make his own mark on the company with the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series. A participant (usually a restaurant, bar, or liquor store) chooses 10 staves of 6 different varieties to place in an aged cask of the regular Maker’s Mark, then the cask is stored in the cellar at about 50ºF for some period of time.
Maker’s decided to release a few of these to the public as limited offerings, too, and in 2024 started a series of 5 Wood Finished Bourbons that would be dedicated to the people who make their product. The Heart Release honors the heart of the team: the distilling team…the folks around whom the entire rest of the process revolves. This release features 10 Virgin Toasted French Oak Staves and was bottled in June 2024. While these were released around the country in 2024, I was able to purchase it at the distillery in April 2025, about the same time that the 2025 release was making its way into the world.
The color of the bourbon wasn’t really any different from standard Maker’s, but the aroma seemed to have a stronger caramel note along with a faint whiff of maple. I took a sip and held it at the front of my mouth, savoring the sweetness at the tip of the tongue…lots of caramel and a really nice dark chocolate note. As it slipped down, I had a nice alcohol vapor burn left on my tongue and a little in the throat.
The Heart Release isn’t my favorite of the Wood Finishing Series I’ve tried, but it’s not my least favorite, either. The chocolate was definitely a standout flavor note in that it wasn’t overpowering or cloyingly sweet. I can’t wait to get my hands on the 2025 entry: The Keepers Release.
