Makers Mark Private Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (700ml) - Whiskey Hunt Australia Selection

Maker's Mark haven't offered much in the way of Private Selections for the Australian market in the last few years, and from what we've been told, there won't be another exclusive like this for quite some time. Aged to taste, not to time, it ranks as one of the more curated Whiskey Hunt Australia selections to date, with the tasting panel visiting Maker's Mark on two separate occasions in 2024 and 2025 to check on the barrel's development before finally deciding it had reached its peak. Unlike traditional single barrel bourbons, Maker's Mark's Private Selection programme allows each barrel to be finished with a bespoke combination of ten oak staves, giving every release its own unique personality while remaining true to the Maker's Mark mash bill. For this bottling, the stave breakdown was as follows:

4 × Seared French Cuvée
1 × Maker's Mark 46
4 × Roasted French Mendiant
1 × Toasted French Spice

Aged for over six years, the custom stave recipe delivers a rich, layered bourbon bursting with caramelised sugars, baking spices, dark fruit, toasted oak and creamy vanilla, all carried by a beautifully balanced 56.2% ABV (112.4 Proof). Given the popularity of Makers Mark in Australia, and with just 264 bottles available, this might be one WHA release you want to jump on sooner than later.