Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series

The Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series is one of American whiskey's most ambitious annual limited-release programs — launched in September 2019 as Maker's Mark's first-ever nationally distributed limited release. Every Wood Finishing Series release begins with fully-matured Maker's Mark Classic bourbon (the Samuels family's wheated mash bill of 70% corn / 16% soft red winter wheat / 14% malted barley, aged ~6 years at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky), then undergoes secondary finishing in a custom barrel fitted with 10 unique wood staves developed by the Independent Stave Company for approximately 5 to 9 additional weeks in the distillery's proprietary limestone cellar. The cellar's consistently cool environment slows the secondary aging while the custom stave profiles impart distinctive flavor notes unique to each annual release. Every Wood Finishing Series release is bottled at cask strength (typically 108-114 proof range), non-chill filtered, and dipped in the signature Maker's Mark red wax. Cana Wine Co. stocks 11 unique Wood Finishing Series releases from 2020 through 2026 plus the international UK travel-retail-exclusive London Edition.

The Wood Finishing Series launched in September 2019 with the inaugural RC6 release at the Maker's Mark Distillery (and rolled out nationwide through October 2019). The program is the direct descendant of Maker's 46 — the brand's first major new expression in 52 years, created by Bill Samuels Jr. in 2010 using the same custom-stave finishing technique. The Wood Finishing Series formalized that technique into an annual exploration program with 10 unique wood staves per release, developed in partnership with the Independent Stave Company (the same Missouri-based cooperage that supplies barrels and staves to most major Kentucky distilleries). The Wood Finishing Series was conceived as a planned 5-year program (2019-2023, "First Chapter") focused on production process, then extended into a second 5-year chapter (2024-2028) focused on the people who make Maker's Mark.

First Chapter (2019-2023) — Production Process Focus:

• 2019 — RC6 (255-barrel inaugural release, 108.2-110.5 proof, 10 toasted American oak staves, Stave Profile RC6 = oak seasoned 18 months outdoors then convection-oven toasted; $60 SRP at launch; ~38,000 bottles)
• 2020 — SE4xPR5 (multi-stave combination experiment exploring two distinct stave profiles)
• 2021 — FAE-01 and FAE-02 (two releases): FAE-01 = American oak stave seared on one side / raw on other, 110.3-110.6 proof; FAE-02 = double-heat-treated virgin French oak with infrared exposure + flame toast, 109.1 proof
• 2022 — BRT-01 and BRT-02 (two releases — "BRT" = Barrel Rotation): BRT-01 = first 3 years aging top-of-rickhouse + American oak staves at 109.4 proof; BRT-02 = second 3 years aging bottom-of-rickhouse + French oak staves at 109.7 proof
• 2023 — BEP (Barrel Entry Proof — Maker's Mark's signature low 110 barrel entry proof; 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak staves; cask strength 109.6-110.7 proof)

Second Chapter (2024-2028) — Maker's Mark People Focus:

• 2024 — The Heart Release (distillery team; 112.6 proof / 56.3% ABV; 10 Virgin Toasted French Oak staves; dark chocolate, maple, caramel)
• 2025 — The Keepers Release (warehouse team; released March 19, 2025; 109.2 proof / 54.6% ABV; 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak staves; two-batch process — 5 weeks + 9 weeks aged separately then blended equal parts)
• 2026 — The Stewards Release (operations team; TWO batches at 109.6 and 113.3 proof; 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak staves; raw honey + stone fruit notes; "No. 3 of 5" in Second Chapter)
• 2027 — TBD
• 2028 — TBD

Lost Recipes Wood Finishing Series (parallel sub-program using retired Private Selection staves):

• 2024 — Lost Recipes Edition 01 (debut, 700ml at 111.9 proof / 55.95% ABV; revives the retired Roasted French Mocha stave)
• 2025 — Lost Recipes Edition 02 (700ml at 110.9 proof / 55.45% ABV; uses different retired-stave combination)

International / Travel Retail Editions:

• Wood Finishing City Series London Edition (5th and final city release after NY, Sydney, Frankfurt, Singapore; 700ml, 54.4% ABV / 108.8 proof; 720 bottles worldwide; $95 launch retail; collaboration with Chef Douglas McMaster + Ryan Chetiyawardana of Mr Lyan; debuted London Heathrow Terminal 5)

Maker's Mark RC6 was the 2019 inaugural release of the Wood Finishing Series — the launch bottle that established the entire program AND Maker's Mark's first-ever nationally distributed limited release. RC6 was a 255-barrel batch (~38,000 bottles minimum) featuring 10 toasted American oak staves under proprietary Stave Profile RC6. The RC6 stave profile was crafted over more than two years of development: American oak first seasoned outdoors for 18 months then toasted in a convection oven. The bourbon was finished in custom barrels at cask strength in the 108.2-110.5 proof range. The stave profile was specifically designed to draw out the fruit notes in Maker's Mark while preserving the natural baking spice and sweetness balance. RC6 launched at the Maker's Mark Distillery in late September 2019 and rolled out nationwide through October 2019 at a $60 launch SRP. Cana Wine Co. does not currently have RC6 in inventory — the inaugural release is highly allocated on the secondary market.

The 2021 Wood Finishing Series was the program's first year featuring TWO separate Wood Finishing Series bottles in a single calendar year. Both releases explored "FAE" stave profiles but with distinctly different oak treatments:

Maker's Mark FAE-01 uses an American oak stave that is seared on one side and left raw on the other — the dual-treatment approach amplifies dried fruit and oak flavors with the seared side offering dark leathery tobacco notes and the raw side yielding fresh fruit. FAE-01 was bottled at cask strength in the 110.3-110.6 proof range. Cana stocks FAE-01 at $189.99 (750ml).

Maker's Mark FAE-02 uses double-heat-treated virgin French oak barrel staves that undergo infrared exposure prior to a flame toast finish. The double-heat-treatment produces a gentler, mouth-coating palate of light caramel and deep oak. FAE-02 was bottled at 109.1 proof and is not currently in Cana inventory.

Both releases complement each other — FAE-01 focuses on drawing out specific flavors, while FAE-02 is defined by its rich, weighty texture.

The 2022 BRT-01 and BRT-02 were Maker's Mark's second year of dual-bottle Wood Finishing Series releases. "BRT" stands for "Barrel Rotation" — referencing Maker's Mark's signature hand-barrel rotation practice and the temperature influence on the whisky process. Both releases explored how barrels age differently based on their rickhouse position during the standard 6-year primary aging cycle:

BRT-01 emphasized the first three years of Maker's Mark aging at the TOP of the rickhouse (where temperature fluctuates more drastically across seasons), finished with American oak staves. BRT-01 was bottled at cask strength, 109.4 proof / 54.7% ABV, with notes of caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar, stone fruit, and honey. Cana stocks at $189.99 (750ml).

BRT-02 emphasized the second three years of Maker's Mark aging at the BOTTOM of the rickhouse (cooler, more consistent temperatures) using French oak staves. BRT-02 was bottled at 109.7 proof with notes of seasoned oak nuttiness, molasses, dark fruit, chocolate, and baking spices. Cana stocks at $149.99 (750ml).

The pair allows collectors to taste how barrel rotation and rickhouse position fundamentally shape the underlying Maker's Mark Classic flavor profile.

Maker's Mark BEP is the 2023 final First Chapter release of the Wood Finishing Series — the BEP acronym stands for "Barrel Entry Proof," and the release celebrates the specific proof at which Maker's Mark enters the barrel for primary aging. Maker's Mark barrels its bourbon at exactly 110 proof — a notably low barrel entry proof in the modern bourbon industry. Industry permission to raise barrel entry proofs from 110 to 125 was granted in 1962 when the legal cap was relaxed, but Maker's Mark is the only major distillery from that era to have kept its barrel entry proof at 110 ever since. The lower barrel entry proof allows for slower, more deliberate maturation that preserves the wheated mash bill's signature smoothness. BEP 2023 uses 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak finish staves to amplify the vanilla and sweet spice notes that naturally occur from the lower barrel entry proof. The release is bottled at cask strength in the 109.6-110.7 proof range (approximately 55% ABV). Cana stocks BEP at $169.99 (750ml).

The Second Chapter of the Wood Finishing Series is a planned 5-year continuation that runs 2024-2028 and shifts focus from production process to the people who make Maker's Mark. Each annual release honors a different team within the Star Hill Farm distillery family:

2024 — The Heart Release ($74.99 MSRP, Cana $149.99): Inaugural Second Chapter release honoring the distillery team — the "Makers" of Maker's Mark — who hand-craft the bourbon in Loretto. Bottled at 112.6 proof / 56.3% ABV using 10 Virgin Toasted French Oak staves to amplify dark chocolate, maple, and caramel notes.

2025 — The Keepers Release ($74.99 MSRP, Cana $189.99): Released March 19, 2025 per Suntory Global Spirits' official press release, honoring the warehouse team who ensure every barrel of Maker's Mark matures consistently to the founders' taste vision. Bottled at 109.2 proof / 54.6% ABV (varies by batch 108-114 proof range) using 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak staves. Produced via a distinctive TWO-batch process: one batch finished for an additional 5 weeks, the other for 9 weeks, then blended in equal parts before bottling.

2026 — The Stewards Release ($74.99 MSRP, Cana $189.99): "No. 3 of 5" in the Second Chapter, honoring the distillery operations teams who guide the bourbon's journey from first fermentation through final bottling. Released as TWO batches: one at 109.6 proof and another at 113.3 proof, both using 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak staves to amplify raw honey and stone fruit notes.

2027 — to be announced (will continue the people-focused theme) 2028 — to be announced (will complete the Second Chapter)

The Maker's Mark Lost Recipes sub-series is a parallel Wood Finishing Series program that revives archived stave combinations from the Maker's Mark Private Selection program — specifically using staves that have been retired from the current Private Selection kit. Each Lost Recipes release uses the same recoopering/finishing process Bill Samuels Jr. developed for Maker's 46 in 2010, but applied to retired stave combinations from the Private Selection archives:

2024 Lost Recipes Edition 01 (Cana, 700ml at 111.9 proof / 55.95% ABV) — The debut Lost Recipes release specifically revives the retired Roasted French Mocha stave, which was retired from the Maker's Mark Private Selection program in 2021 when it was replaced by Roasted French Mendiant. The result is a release that captures the deep chocolate, espresso, and roasted nut character of the now-archived Mocha profile.

2025 Lost Recipes Edition 02 (Cana, 700ml at 110.9 proof / 55.45% ABV) — The second Lost Recipes release continues the archive-revival theme with a different retired-stave combination, exploring another flavor profile that was tested during Private Selection development but never released as a standard offering.

The Lost Recipes sub-series gives collectors a taste of stave combinations that were tested during Maker's Mark Private Selection development but never released to the public — essentially an archive of "the road not taken" in Maker's Mark experimental finishing.

The Maker's Mark Wood Finishing City Series London Edition is the 5th and final release in Maker's Mark's global travel-retail-exclusive city-themed Wood Finishing Series, following earlier releases honoring New York, Sydney, Frankfurt, and Singapore. The London Edition was launched with a high-profile experiential pop-up at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 (in partnership with Avolta), and is one of the rarest Wood Finishing Series releases globally — limited to just 720 bottles worldwide.

Specifications:

• Bottle: 700ml (referred to as 70cl in UK formats)
• Proof / ABV: 54.4% ABV (108.8 proof) cask strength
• Finishing: 10 virgin oak staves with a bespoke stave blend
• Recommended Retail Price: $95 USD at launch (travel retail exclusive)
• Flavor Collaboration: Created with British chef Douglas McMaster (founder of Silo, the world's first zero-waste restaurant) and bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana ("Mr Lyan," founder of Lyaness and one of the world's most celebrated cocktail innovators)

Tasting Profile: Buttercream icing, toasted vanilla, orange peel, maple, caramel, and vanilla bean on the nose; bright caramel, orchard fruits, marshmallow, rich tobacco, oak, and salted caramel on the palate; creamy texture with citrus, spices, and tobacco on the finish.

Cana Wine Co. is one of the few American retailers to stock the London Edition — significantly higher than domestic Wood Finishing Series releases due to international rarity (720 bottles total worldwide) and limited US allocation.

The Maker's Mark portfolio is organized into three distinct tiers built around the same wheated mash bill (70% corn / 16% soft red winter wheat / 14% malted barley) but differentiated by the wood-finishing process and the number of staves used:

Maker's Mark Classic (90 proof / 45% ABV): The original 1953 recipe with no secondary finishing — aged approximately 6 years in standard new charred American white oak barrels at Star Hill Farm, then bottled. No additional staves, no secondary cellar aging. Hand-dipped in the iconic solid red wax.

Maker's Mark 46 (94 proof / 47% ABV, launched 2010): Bill Samuels Jr.'s creation and the predecessor of the entire Wood Finishing Series. Maker's 46 takes fully matured Maker's Mark Classic and finishes it for 8-11 weeks in the limestone cellar with 10 seared French oak staves (the specific stave profile is "Stave Profile No. 46," produced by the Independent Stave Company — which is where the name comes from). Maker's 46 represents the only Wood Finishing technique permanently in Maker's Mark's year-round lineup.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series (cask strength, typically 108-114 proof, launched 2019): Annual limited-release exploration of the Maker's 46 finishing technique applied to completely different stave combinations each year. Each Wood Finishing Series release uses 10 unique custom-developed staves (the stave profile changes every release, exploring different aspects of Maker's Mark's craft), finished for 5-9 weeks in the limestone cellar, then bottled at cask strength (vs. the 94 proof Maker's 46 standard). The Wood Finishing Series is therefore the premium, experimental, allocated extension of the Maker's 46 technique — same finishing process, but at cask strength with custom annual stave profiles instead of the permanent SP No. 46 profile.

The hierarchy: Classic → 46 (permanent finished expression) → Wood Finishing Series (annual cask-strength experimental finished expressions). The Wood Finishing Series exists because Bill Samuels Jr.'s 46 technique opened the door to dozens of possible custom-stave variations, and the annual program lets Maker's Mark explore the full creative range of that technique without diluting the Classic or 46 core lineup.

Each Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series release has a distinctive flavor profile shaped by its unique 10-stave finishing combination. Here's a complete tasting-note reference across the full program:

2019 RC6 (108.2-110.5 proof): The inaugural release uses 10 toasted American oak staves seasoned outdoors for 18 months. Nose: ripe stone fruit, baked apple, vanilla. Palate: rich caramel, dried cherry, cinnamon spice, butterscotch. Finish: balanced fruit and baking spice with mature oak — designed specifically to draw out Maker's Mark's natural fruit notes while preserving the wheated sweetness.

2020 SE4xPR5 (cask strength): The multi-stave combination experiment. Nose: vanilla bean, toasted marshmallow, light orange peel. Palate: caramelized sugar, baked pear, salted toffee, soft tannins. Finish: long, rich, dessert-like with cocoa undertones.

2021 FAE-01 (110.3-110.6 proof, American oak seared/raw): Nose: bright dried fruit, leather, dark tobacco. Palate: dark cherry, leather, charred oak, fresh apricot — the dual-treatment stave creates a unique split between dark and fresh fruit notes. Finish: warming spice with lingering dark fruit.

2021 FAE-02 (109.1 proof, double-heat-treated virgin French oak): Nose: gentle caramel, light vanilla, baked pear. Palate: silky light caramel, deep French oak, cocoa, soft baking spices — defined by its rich weighty texture rather than flavor extraction. Finish: long, creamy, mouth-coating.

2022 BRT-01 (109.4 proof / 54.7% ABV, top-of-rickhouse + American oak): Nose: caramel and butterscotch mixed with sweet spice. Palate: bright with brown sugar and stone fruit. Finish: warm and toasty with hints of honey.

2022 BRT-02 (109.7 proof, bottom-of-rickhouse + French oak): Nose: seasoned oak nuttiness combined with molasses. Palate: prevalent dark fruit and chocolate with baking spices. Finish: long, viscous, and round.

2023 BEP (109.6-110.7 proof, 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak): Nose: bright vanilla, sweet spice, light caramel. Palate: balanced wood sugars, soft tannins, vanilla cream, light citrus. Finish: lasting smooth finish that showcases the impact of Maker's Mark's signature low 110 barrel entry proof.

2024 The Heart Release (112.6 proof / 56.3% ABV, 10 Virgin Toasted French Oak): Nose: dark chocolate, maple, sweet caramel. Palate: rich chocolate, maple syrup, dark caramel, warm baking spices. Finish: long, creamy, dessert-forward.

2024 Lost Recipes Edition 01 (111.9 proof / 55.95% ABV, archived Roasted French Mocha stave): Nose: deep coffee, dark chocolate, roasted hazelnut. Palate: espresso, chocolate-covered cherry, roasted nut, light vanilla. Finish: rich coffee-and-chocolate finish unique to the retired Mocha stave profile.

2025 The Keepers Release (109.2 proof / 54.6% ABV, 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak, two-batch blend): Nose: rich oak-forward seasoned wood, brûléed sugar, tobacco. Palate: dried dark fruit, toasted vanilla, oak spice, lingering roasted sweetness. Finish: long, enveloping, dried-fruit-driven.

2025 Lost Recipes Edition 02 (110.9 proof / 55.45% ABV): Nose: archive-profile complexity (specific stave combination distinct from Edition 01). Palate: secondary archive flavor exploration. Finish: extended barrel-driven complexity.

2026 The Stewards Release (TWO batches at 109.6 and 113.3 proof, 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak): Nose: raw honey, stone fruit, light citrus. Palate: stone fruit, soft caramel, honey, sweet spice. Finish: balanced sweet-spice with sustained mouthfeel — the two-batch blend creates a layered cask-strength expression.

Wood Finishing City Series London Edition (108.8 proof / 54.4% ABV, 10 virgin oak staves with bespoke McMaster/Mr Lyan blend): Nose: buttercream icing, toasted vanilla, orange peel, maple, caramel, vanilla bean. Palate: bright caramel, orchard fruits, marshmallow, rich tobacco, oak, salted caramel. Finish: creamy texture with zesty citrus, spices, and tobacco — the most flavor-complex release in the series due to the chef/bartender collaboration.

These tasting notes reflect Maker's Mark's official descriptions and editorial reviews; specific batch variations within each release may exhibit slight differences in proof and flavor intensity. Cana Wine Co. is one of the highest-allocation Maker's Mark accounts in the country and runs a customer-list program for major Wood Finishing Series releases — register at canawineco.com to be notified of new annual Wood Finishing Series releases including the 2027 and 2028 Second Chapter finale releases.