Review: The Heart Release is the Latest Chapter in the Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series

Over the years, Maker’s Mark kept creative experimentation to a minimum, as its distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, was happy to keep on crafting its famous wheated bourbon with few changes, save for an ill-advised lowering of the proof from 45% to 43% in 2013, which was quickly reversed. Special editions of Maker’s were made available through its Private Selection Program, but that was about it.

It wasn’t until 2010 that Maker’s brought forth its first-ever product extension with Maker’s 46, finished in barrels that contained French oak staves. A cask strength expression came along in 2017, followed by the 2019 debut of the Wood Finishing Series, its first-ever limited edition whiskey available nationally.

The Wood Finishing Series Stave Profile RC6 was the first in the series, followed by two releases in 2020 and two more in 2021—the second 2021 release, Stave Profile FAE-01, ranked No. 2 in our 2021 Top 20 Whiskies of the Year. Maker’s announced the conclusion of the series last year with the release of Wood Finishing Series: BEP, which highlighted the Maker’s barrel entry proof of 110 (lower than the standard 125 proof) and the staves’ enhancement of the Maker’s vanilla flavors.

But now the Wood Finishing Series is back, with a new expression in what Maker’s is calling the “second chapter” in the series. Named The Heart Release, this whiskey is finished with two different types of French oak staves, 10 staves each, with one set inserted into the barrel for 5 weeks, and the other for 9 weeks, the finishing done in the distillery’s limestone cellar where Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged is matured.

What’s the Concept Behind the Heart Release?

While earlier releases of the Wood Finishing Series focused on wood stave usage as a technique, Maker’s has taken a different route with this one, instead emphasizing the teams that make the whiskey. Rob Samuels, grandson of the founder, says this expression “celebrates the entire distillery team, who share our vision and have contributed their perspective to the craft of the final expression.” Apparently, each expression going forward will be born of similar inspiration. But let's get to the "heart" of the matter of how this whiskey tastes.

What Aromas Does the Heart Release Present?

The nose offers a cornucopia of aromas including toasted marshmallow, cotton candy, peach iced tea, spiced apple cider, pears, chocolate, and leather, with the oak backbone very discernible from the start.

What Does Maker's Mark The Heart Taste Like?

The palate is marked by rich flavors of milk chocolate, vanilla pound cake, caramel drizzle, maple syrup, brown sugar, sweet iced tea, black cherry, and raspberry, along with gingerbread and freshly baked sourdough, all set against savory spice and oak. The oak presence is very much in the game, and while it's not overly harsh or bitter, some panelists found its influence too prevalent, elbowing out the fruitier notes a bit.

How About the Finish?

The oak lingers on a mid-length finish, but not overwhelmingly, alongside chocolate, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and earthiness. The spice balance is well done on the back end, and the softness is sustained. There’s still quite a bit of oak, but the overall sip is in balance.

Our Overall Impression of Maker's Mark The Heart

Our tasters were generally in agreement on this one, but not completely so. Some found the oak influence to be overdone. Higher proof wheated bourbons often have a soft, almost gentle profile despite their powerful ABVs. Larceny Barrel Proof (Batch B520) at 61.1% ABV can be an example of that, particularly the batch that won our Whisky of the Year award in 2020, and certainly the Maker's 2021 Wood Finishing Release FAE-01 did as well. That soft element is often among the hallmarks of barrel-proof wheaters. This one doesn't quite measure up to FAE-01, but certainly offers plenty to like for Maker's fans and wheated bourbon lovers in general.

Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series The Heart Release

Score: 91
ABV: 55.85%
SRP: $75
Availability: July 1; nationwide