Latest Maker’s Mark limited release celebrates ‘guardians of the barrel’
What should a bourbon that was inspired by the distillery’s warehouse team taste like?
Leathery? Dusty? Maybe even a bit sweaty?
Well, Maker’s Mark went in a different direction with The Keepers Release, the latest limited edition Wood Finishing Series, inspired by the Kentucky distillery’s warehouse team.
The bourbon, the second in a five-part series, is oak-forward with a nose of seasoned wood, bruleed sugar and tobacco, and on the palate has notes of dried dark fruit and lingering roasted sweetness, according to the news release.
It also packs a punch at 109.2 proof.
Maker’s Mark Keepers Release 2025 is at U.S. retailers for a suggested retail price of $74.99.
Why showcase the workers who don’t make the bourbon?
Simple, Maker’s Mark said: They ensure every barrel of bourbon is well-taken care of.
“From the beginning, our founders — my grandparents — went to remarkable lengths to create an uncompromisingly delicious bourbon,” said Rob Samuels, eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director, Maker’s Mark, in a statement. “We are delighted to introduce this latest Wood Finishing Series expression that celebrates the team who still rotate each and every barrel of Maker’s Mark by hand and who continue to embrace our founders’ perfectly unreasonable pursuit of excellence.”
Master distiller Blake Layfield called them “the guardians of our barrels,” and said their sensory experience of Maker’s Mark is unlike anyone else’s: “The aromatic oak at different times of the day, evolving tasting notes of our whisky as it ages over multiple seasons, which provided inspiration and helped us shape the flavors of this release.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
