I blogged about it here, and showed a picture of a sample of it here. You know I have the new Maker’s Mark bourbon, so why haven’t I said anything about it yet?
Well, here’s why. Master Distiller Kevin Smith and I tasted the new whiskey together on Saturday, along with the existing Red Wax Maker’s Mark we are all familiar with.
I was going to post up my thought on the new whiskey yesterday, but I’m going to hold off for a couple days. Why? He wants to send me more samples to taste and compare with him. That sounds like a deal to me. How can I turn that down?
I’ll be in New York Monday and Tuesday, but when I return on Wednesday, he and I will taste some more not yet released and maybe even previously released Maker’s Mark bourbons together.
Then, I’ll spill my guts. Be sure to stop back later on Wednesday.
Makes one wonder what your thoughts were John.
We all know your position on reviewing whiskies, which your consultation contributes to the design of: you don’t– which is a great thing. That being the case I assume that the extra samples are be intended to help you understand and agree with his decision making process used in the design of the whiskey. So c’mon… was it just a little too oaky?
Red (and Alex), here’s the scoop. Kevin and I tasted and chatted on Saturday. I gave him my thoughts. I was going to post up my opinion of the whiskey, and then he got back with me and told me that what I got was only “rough-filtered” to take out the chunks. He said he would like to send out the more polished (i.e. filtered) version, along with a different experiment, and a sample of the previous “black wax” bottling from several years ago.
I would like my blog post and review to be as comprehensive as possible. I’m willing to wait until the other samples come, have another chat with him, and then I’ll put up my complete thoughts at that time–probably Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
I will admit, though, that I thought that I was getting the final product…
I am curious to know if there will be for avid collectors like myself a special collector’s edition that will be release as a gift set or better yet as a pre production numbered bottle?
If you find me on your front porch when you return from NYC, you’ll know why. I find the notion of a new Maker’s most intriguing.
I’m with Red – curious to your unfiltered and uncoloured (snicker) impressions…
Picked a nice day to be in NYC – its positively miserable out today.
From what I am hearing it’s going to be fairly high end.
if it’s going to be fairly high end, will the quality match the price?
Kevin, Will it come in a wood box?
Sorry guys but I’m not Kevin Smith… I think he posts under “Kevin Smith”. I’m just a guy in the industry also named Kevin… But from what I’ve heard it will be in a decanter/fancy type bottle. I could be wrong as nothing is really finalized yet.
Voila! It is all set and done: a nice decanter in a wood box, numbered and hand signed by Kevin Smith for the first 500 bottles.
I am willing to wait. I would like your thoughts to reflect what we will be tasting off the shelf when it hits. John, how often, that you know of, do you get sample bottles that do not reflect the final product as you thought you were getting here with the Maker’s Mark?
[...] John Hansell announces that he will soon review samples of a new, not yet released, Maker’s Mark expression. [...]
Jason, this is unusual. I think that Kevin was just so excited about his new whisky, he just wanted to get an opinion of it, and I was the first one he called. I can understand that.
Understood, look forward to reading your review.
Well, John you really captured my curiosity. Now I can’t wait for tomorrow to read your review. This better be good. lol Just kidding.
[...] I posted here and here last week, Maker’s Mark will be introducing a new bourbon, probably around June. This is BIG [...]