The Basics: 

Maker’s Mark Distillery

109.1 proof

2021 Limited Release

NAS

$60 MSRP

Nose:

Coffee cake, cinnamon streusel, gingerbread cookies, starfruit, lavender, nutmeg, and clove. 

Palate: 

Raspberry jam, burnt croissant, and cinnamon raisin bread with butter. 

Finish:

Oak, nutmeg, cardamom, leather, walnuts, and light mint. 

Final Thoughts:

The second and final release of the 2021 Maker’s Mark wood finishing series is FAE-02, which focuses on the fatty acid esters in the whiskey. The real question is whether or not this release can compete with the FAE-01 released earlier this spring. The nose opens with classic baking spice notes that you expect to find in Maker’s Mark products, along with coffee cake and starfruit. The palate is extremely consistent with the nose, following through on the baking spice notes and dessert-like qualities. There is also a fruit-forward note of raspberry jam on a burnt croissant (oddly specific… I know). More nutmeg, oak, and walnut wrap up this whiskey on the finish. Overall, the FAE-02 does not live up to the high standard set by FAE-01, even though it is still a delicious whiskey. My palate leans towards the sweet cinnamon roll dough qualities that I find in FAE-01, which is why I have three of those and only once of the FAE-02. For any Maker’s Mark fan, this one will not disappoint, but it might not be a bottle you decide to bunker an extra case of.