RC6, Private Select, and Maker's Mark 46 bourbon bottles lined up
RC6, Private Select, and Maker's Mark 46 bourbon bottles lined up

Our Wood Finishing Series.

It began with the creation of Maker's Mark 46™ almost ten years ago. Now with the addition of Maker's Mark Private Select® and the Maker's Mark® Wood Finishing Series 2019 Limited Release, the Maker's Mark® Wood Finishing Series offers true bourbon lovers a chance to experience unique and flavorful variations of our original bourbon.

RC6 bourbon wooden staves in barrel
RC6 bourbon wooden staves in barrel

Call us Wood PioneersWe've always loved a challenge.

The Wood Finishing Series embodies our pioneering spirit and our obsession with taste. In our experimentation with the Independent Stave Company, we were able to highlight certain flavor characteristics from original Maker's Mark® and create unique expressions – each with its own taste profile.

person wearing black gloves and red t shirt putting staves into a barrel
person wearing black gloves and red t shirt putting staves into a barrel

Wood makes the differenceIt starts at the finish.

Inspired by the creation of Maker's Mark 46™, the Wood Finishing Series process begins with 10 wood staves of varying types and combinations being affixed inside a barrel of fully matured Maker's Mark® at cask strength. The barrel is then stored in our limestone cellar for additional aging as the variations in wood enhance distinct flavors in each expression.

Making Maker’s Mark 46
up-close shot of an open bottle of Makers Mark 46 bourbon
up-close shot of an open bottle of Makers Mark 46 bourbon

Born to be boldMaker’s Mark 46

Bill Samuels, Jr., wanted a bourbon that amplified the flavors he loved in Maker's Mark. So, he created it – with the first-ever bourbon in our Wood Finishing Series, Maker's Mark 46. Finished with seared French oak staves and aged longer, Maker's Mark 46 features a distinctly bolder, more complex flavor without the harsh bite of typically longer-aged bourbon.

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up close shot of a Makers Mark Private Select bourbon on dark wooden table outside
up close shot of a Makers Mark Private Select bourbon on dark wooden table outside

So many possibilitiesMaker's Mark Private Select®

Like all bourbons in our Wood Finishing Series, the flavor of Maker’s Mark Private Select® is determined by the custom wood staves added during the finishing process. For Private Select, however, those finishing staves are chosen by participants in our Private Select Barrel Program to specifically create a distinct flavor profile – with each unique expression offering its own customized finish and flavor.

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RC6 bourbon bottle sitting on the left side of a bourbon barrel
RC6 bourbon bottle sitting on the left side of a bourbon barrel

Our newest releaseMaker’s Mark® 2019 Limited Release

Developed in partnership with Independent Stave Company, the Maker's Mark® Wood Finishing Series 2019 Limited Release was crafted over the course of more than two years to draw out the fruit notes of Maker's Mark® without compromising its natural balance of baking spice and sweetness.

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