Makers Mark FAE-02

The distillery’s stave-finished bourbon is the second of a complementary pair of 2021 limited edition releases and was thoughtfully crafted as a texturally rich, softer complement to spring’s FAE-01.

Every whisky in the distillery’s Wood Finishing Series tells a story about the purposeful way Maker’s Mark has been crafted since its inception. Maker’s Mark has never chill-filtered its whisky, a decision that allows the classic bourbon to retain its signature character and depth of flavor by leaving naturally present fatty acid esters (FAEs) in the whisky. Using the distillery’s pioneering wood stave-finishing technique, the 2021 Limited Releases FAE-01 and FAE-02 celebrate and amplify characteristics that stem from that choice – namely dark, woody notes and a rich, full-bodied texture, respectively.

2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 is produced using double-heat-treated virgin French Oak barrel staves that undergo an infrared exposure prior to a flame toast finish. The process yields a Maker’s Mark bourbon that exhibits a distinctly luscious mouthfeel. Unlike FAE-01, which used American Oak staves to amplify notes of dark leathery tobacco and barrel-aged fruit, FAE-02 is characterized by a gentler, mouthcoating palate of light caramel and deep oak.

“Our first 2021 release was crafted to hit you in the face with big, bold aroma and flavor, just like standing in a barrel warehouse – wood, tobacco and spicy dried fruit,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “With FAE-02, we wanted to explore the softer side of our 2021 taste vision by placing more of the focus on rich, consistent texture and tone that stems from fatty acid esters. Just like the things we find so comforting about artisanal butters, olive oils and creamy spreads, FAE-02 delivers a fattier, full-bodied, mature Maker’s Mark bourbon that makes for an ideal sip on a Fall evening.”

Like all Wood Finishing Series offerings – including Maker’s Mark 46® and Maker’s Mark® Private Selection – FAE-02 was crafted by finishing fully-matured, cask strength Maker’s Mark in secondary barrels fitted with the proprietary wood staves. The barrels are stored in Maker’s Mark’s limestone cellar for additional aging, where the cask strength bourbon interacts with the wood staves to develop the expression’s unique taste profile.