I've Tried Hundreds of Whiskies. This Limited-Edition Bourbon Deserves a Spot on Your Shelf

One of the most accessible and delicious annual bourbon releases is hitting shelves—and this year’s bottle is a stunner. The Keepers Release from Loretto, KY-based Maker’s Mark continues the wheated bourbon brand’s Wood Finishing Series. It's another non-chill filtered, cask-strength pour finished with custom oak staves.

The Keeper’s Release weighs in at 109.2 proof. Though there’s no age statement, Maker's Mark says that it’s the usual blend of six to eight year juice. This edition honors the warehouse team by amplifying the whisky's oak character. The result is an astounding pour for anyone who loves much older bourbon—especially the more expensive wheated bottles.

What Is the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series?

Maker’s launched the Wood Finishing Series (WFS) in 2019. It started with annual versions of Maker’s Cask Strength that were finished with additional oak staves in the barrel for up to 10 weeks. For a product that takes years to produce, those weeks of finishing might seem like they'd hardly make a dent, but the results have been mostly delicious.

Maker's Mark calls the WFS releases from 2019 to 2023 the first chapter. Each whisky amplified aspects of Maker’s flagship wheated bourbon, but a few of them were particularly special. 

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In 2021, Maker's released two bottles instead of one: FAE-01 and FAE-02. The acronyms stand for fatty acid esters. Those flavorful compounds are removed from many whiskies during the chill filtration process, which prevents a hazy appearance in the bottle. Maker’s instead uses non-chill filtration—a common practice among the tastiest bourbons—which leaves the esters in suspension.

Then, in 2023, the brand highlighted its barrel-entry proof with the BEP edition. Maker's Mark usually puts spirits in the barrel at 110 proof—relatively low compared to competitors—which the brand says brings out vanilla and sugary spices. The finishing staves typically used for the WFS then amplify those flavors.

Next Chapter for the Wood Finishing Series

Last year, Maker's Mark released The Heart Release, which kicked off the second chapter of the WFS. It was created in collaboration with the production team, displaying the fermentation aromas the workers experience in the distillery. Specifically, it highlights when sweet mash turns into beer to be distilled, which includes an unusually distinct maple syrup note. That was inspired by the process of steaming the distillery’s wood fermenters, which give off a strong maple aroma, says Blake Layfield, master distiller at Maker’s Mark.

The Keepers Release was developed with the folks that care for the oak barrels that gently age the white dog for six to eight years until it becomes the bourbon that’s blended for Maker’s. Appropriately, it’s a very oak-forward dram, but the phrase “over-oaked” never enters the picture.

How the Wood Finishing Series Is Made

Every WFS release follows a similar process, despite the contrasting results. The blending team takes cask strength Maker's, which, like the 90-proof flagship, is a blend of six- to eight-year-old liquid. Then, to instill the desired traits—like the maple for The Heart Release or vanilla of FAE-01—they work with cooperage Independent Stave Company to cook, toast, and season the American or French oak staves that help finish the whisky.

These staves aren’t like the bowed wood from which barrels are made, but rather flat slats of oak designed to be inserted into the barrel for the finishing process. The staves are cooked to order for Maker’s to bring out the necessary flavors.

With the staves installed, the barrels are moved to the Star Hill Distillery’s limestone cellar, which remains a constant 50 degrees throughout the year. Though heat cycles and sweaty top floors of barrel houses drum up enthusiasm from bourbon fans, Layfield says that the unchanging environment gives their team incredible control over the finishing process. If you’re going to try to pull specific sugars and notes from wood, that seems like an asset.

How Does The Keepers Release Taste? Maker's Mark's newest addition to the Wood Finishing Series is The Keepers Edition, pictured here.

Matt Allyn

My favorite bourbons feature strong dark fruit flavors backed by dessert-like notes and rich oak. I’ve been enjoying the WFS since its inception, but this feels like it was dialed up to make my palate happy. 

On the nose, the sweet toasty oak comes off like a creme brûlée, fresh from a pastry chef. Then, candied cherry pops in. Overall, it smells like a much older bourbon.

During a sip, juicy American oak rides across the palate, but that sweetness of the aroma returns in the finish. It's a bourbon with body, despite its younger age. And there's just enough oak on the finish to balance everything out.

The Keepers Release dives deeper into the produce aisle than other Maker’s bottles, with dark oak-backed fruit and dessert I usually find in hotter, higher-aged bourbons like Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof or Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged.

How Does The Keepers Release Compare? I tasted four limited-edition Marker's Mark whiskies side by side to see which one came out on top.

Matt Allyn

As a man of science—at least for beverages—I ran The Keepers Release through side-by-side tastings with standard Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, The Heart Release, and Maker’s Cellar Aged 2024.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength has more of the straightforward candied cherry I associate with the brand, along with caramel, molasses, and a subtle floral spice. The nose is a touch thinner compared to the WFS releases, however the overall character is smoother. It's a worthy bottle.

The Keepers Release was finished with French oak staves, which makes for impressively divergent bottles despite being separated by just a couple months of finishing. It leans into floral spice over the underlying caramel. The fruit is lighter, with white grape and peach fruit. And there's a hit of oak toast for toasted barrel fans. It has a dry finish similar to French oak-finished Maker’s 46.

Cellar Aged was surprisingly similar to The Keepers Release. The latest Cellar Aged is a blend of 85 percent 13-year old bourbon and 15 percent 12-year-old bourbon. It has a $175 MSRP but sells for at least double on the secondary market. It’s rich with leather and fruity vanilla oak and has more of an edge thanks to its 119 proof. There’s no doubt it's a bigger, brawnier bourbon, but The Keepers Release is a smoother experience.

And though The Heart Release was one of my favorite new bottles of 2024, The Keepers Release blew past it.

Should You Buy Maker’s Mark WFS The Keeper’s Release?

If you enjoy oak- and fruit-forward bourbons, absolutely. At $75 MSRP, The Keepers Release is a standout value on any spirits store shelf. It offers flavors and the viscous feel of a much older and more expensive bourbon. To describe it as briefly as possible, I’d call it baby Cellar Aged.

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