Ready for a bourbon adventure? 🥃 We’ve got our hands on the BRAND-NEW Maker’s Mark Keepers Release 2025, the latest gem in their coveted Wood Finishing Series, and we’re diving deep! Inspired by the unsung heroes of the Maker’s Mark warehouses, this wheated wonder promises a taste experience like no other.
Join us as we meticulously explore every facet of this special release, from its rich hue to a nose that will captivate your senses. We’ll dissect every nuance on the palate, revealing the secrets held within each sip, and linger over that unforgettable finish. Is the Keepers Release a must-have for your collection, or one to admire from afar? We’ll give you our honest, bottom-line recommendation!
Click play ▶️ now for our completely unfiltered tasting notes & a BONUS review of Chocolate Whoopie Pie!
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Summary of the March 19, 2025 Press Release: Maker’s Mark has unveiled its latest limited-edition bourbon, “The Keepers Release 2025,” a tribute to the distillery’s dedicated warehouse team. This release celebrates the team’s meticulous hand-rotation of every barrel, ensuring consistent maturation that honors the founders’ original taste vision. Rob Samuels, eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director, praised the team’s “perfectly unreasonable pursuit of excellence” as the inspiration behind this expression. Master Distiller Dr. Blake Layfield noted that the warehouse team’s unique sensory experience of the maturing whisky—from aromatic oak to evolving tasting notes across seasons—directly shaped this release’s flavor profile.
#bourbon #MakersMark #KeepersRelease
❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌
✴️ Maker’s Mark Keepers Release
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Company:
Distillery: Maker’s Mark
Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
Age: NAS (about 6 years)
Proof: 109.2
MSRP: $74.99
Released: March 2025
Purchased: 05/01/25 for $74.99 at Maker’s Mark Distillery
NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Event Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 6:00 – 10:00 PM By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
Wayne and I were absolutely thrilled for this event! Over the past two years, we have passionately enjoyed bourbon dinners that have left an indelible impression, and attending the Supper Club events at James B. Beam Distillery has been nothing short of a culinary adventure. Each occasion brought us exquisite food meticulously prepared and captivating stories that enveloped us in the rich heritage of bourbon.
Event Description: A special evening with 7th & 8th generation master distiller’s Fred & Freddie Noe at Fred’s home in Bardstown, KY with some of their renowned friends. Dinner will be provided by the Kitchen Table restaurant with an opportunity to enjoy pours and cocktails from each participating distillery. You will be delighted with stories during an exclusive round table tasting featuring a product from each brand, and the opportunity to interact with top professionals in the bourbon industry.
The speakers for the evening included: Brent Elliott – Four Roses, Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark, and Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam. Baker Beam was also at the dinner but did not speak on the panel.
The Noe’s Home in Bardstown – A Spectacular Setting
As instructed, we parked at a nearby church and walked to the driveway entrance where we were checked in and joined others in anticipation for it to be 6PM. Although it was an incredibly hot day, we were joyful for no rain and excited that the sun would be setting beautifully as the night unfolded. We met some fantastic people in line and enjoyed a delightful dinner with them – Michael & Dawn Mitchell of Chasing Neat.
Freddie Noe welcomed us, provided a brief overview of the evening, and invited us to enjoy our cocktails.
Neeley Family Distillery Cocktail and Appetizers
As described by Chef Landry – the cocktail was a New Orleans classic Sazerac made with Absinthe from the Neeley Family Distillery. Chef sought to match the absinthe flavors with the herbs in the oysters and the fennel in the spinach tart.
They started passing the appetizers early on and they were terrific! The Hidden Barn Cherry Picker Sazerac was outstanding!
Distiller Icon’s Panel Discussion and Tasting
This experience was nothing short of extraordinary! Having the chance to listen to each of these icons delve into their histories, share their passions, and express their spirits was truly awe-inspiring. The atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed and engaging. We were incredibly lucky to have Andy Treinen, the President of the Frazier History Museum, as our moderator, guiding us through this excellent discussion. There were moments of delightful banter among the speakers and some truly entertaining stories shared that added to the magic of the evening!
Each icon had an opportunity to speak and then introduce their pour. **Brent Elliott – Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch. **Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Hidden Barn. **Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Discovery Series #12. **Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark 2024 Cellar Aged. **Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam, Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024.
At the conclusion of the talks, Chef Brian Landry introduced the menu. He has been working with Fred and Freddie for the last three years and they have done many collaborative dinners. He strives to align well with them and the liquids they place in the barrels. Chef reminded us the the Beam’s saying, “Drink it any damn way you please!” However, he noted that tonight we would be drinking as the distillers’ pleased because they selected the cocktails and then Chef Landry reverse-engineered the menu.
Four Roses Bourbon Cocktail and First Course
Chef Landry – Four Roses Single Barrel Vieux Carre another New Orleans cocktail has a little bit of Benedictine in it, a lot of herbal notes, and it’s finished with some bitters that are heavy on star anise. The pork belly was marinated with soy sauce and then finished with the caramel sauce that has a bit of fish sauce in it. This was served with corn pudding.
The pork belly was cooked to perfection! Plus, the creaminess of the corn pudding was amazing. Fantastic course.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Cocktail and Second Course
Chef Landry – Anytime we come here we have to do Fried Chicken, so we’re going to do a fried chicken thigh with truffle honey, truffle grits, and a wild mushroom au jus that will go with the High Wheat Side Car from Bardstown. The Side Car has a lemon juice and Orange Curacao that will help cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
I’m personally a push-over for fried chicken and love grits – this combo did not disappoint! Wow – the chicken was very flavorful and crispy and the grits were delightfully creamy.
James B. Beam Cocktail and Third Course
Chef Landry – For the final savory course, Fred is the master of the grill, so we are doing a 14 oz veal chop. It is an Italian style dish, a Veal Saltimbocca. It is cooked on the grill with garlicky breadcrumbs, sage, and country ham chips from Freddie’s country ham.
This veal chop was indescribably good. Cooked to perfection and seasoned amazingly. Unfortunately, we were so full by the time it arrived that we could only enjoy part of it. To-go bags would have made for a terrific midnight snack!
Maker’s Mark Cocktail and Dessert
Chef Landry – The final course is sweet. The cocktail is a Maker’s Mark 46 Apple Butter Old Fashioned. Then, the burnt cinnamon pot due crème was made with burnt cinnamon sticks that we steeped in cream and then added a bit of orange zest and vanilla. It is finished off with cane syrup granola, salted caramel, and green apples.
As mentioned previously, we were full by the veal chop. Even so, we had to at least taste the cocktail and this scrumptious dessert. There might have been more than one bite involved!
Freddie Demonstrating the Kentucky Whiskey Ham Luge
Freddie is well-known for his cured hams and for hollowing out a portion to pour bourbon over it. This night probably would not have been complete if Chef Landry hadn’t put the challenge out to do this, which Freddie did with ease. But turnabout’s fair play – Freddie then challenged Chef and he accepted with great skill as well! Fun times!
A Great Night to Connect with Awesome People
In addition to Fred Noe signing a bottle of Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024 for us, he and Baker Beam also signed our 1990s mini set of Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, and Knob Creek.
We also had an opportunity to chat with and get pictures with Royce & Rebekah Neeley, Steve Nally, and Lisa Wicker!
It was a night that we will always cherish! Thank you, one and all, for spending the evening with us!
Tour Date: September 10, 2024 1:40pm By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
Today Wayne and I traveled 165 miles to Lorreto, KY for a visit at Maker’s Mark. It had been nearly 18 months since our first visit and we were excited to enjoy the experience and see what new things we might learn.
They have really expanded their visitor center. After checking in we proceeded to their beautiful bar and lounge area. We quickly determined that we would have a neat pour of the Heart Release 2024 and we were happy to learn that we could also purchase the bottle.
Another fun thing – Whisky Jean the distillery cat. She sat there while numerous people pet her despite the sign saying she didn’t like being touched. She even has her own Instagram account.
Behind the BourbonTour
The tour we booked was titled, Behind the Bourbon: An Insider’s Look Behind the Scenes. The tour’s description: This immersive distillery experience pulls the curtain back on the Maker’s Mark® process. More detailed and technical than a standard tour, visitors encounter all aspects of production, accessing far reaches of the distillery, warehouse, cellar, cistern and bottling. And, of course, we can’t truly get behind the bourbon without getting into some. Expect a tasting with pours of the unexpected and the familiar.
Our guide for the day was Jim and he was fantastic. There wasn’t a question that he couldn’t answer!
We started with a discussion on the receiving, inspection, and acceptance of the grain. Then we went inside to the production building. Unfortunately, they have just come off of a shut down so there wasn’t a lot happening. That said, the cookers were working and we were able to see fermenters at the day 1 and day 2 stage. A
Also, while there was no distillate coming through the spirit safes, Jim had some set aside for us to taste.
We walked the grounds and there is something to see around each corner. We visited the printing room where print presses from the 1930s were at work. We then viewed the area where the barrels are received, moved into the building, and filled. As Jim indicated, it would have had a lot more action if they were in operation. However, it was interesting nevertheless.
Next we headed to their oldest rickhouse where we learned about their barrel aging processes. We first had a pour of the standard, 90 proof, Maker’s Mark. Next, Jim thieved some Maker’s Mark 46 out of the barrel for us. It was terrific!
Then a trip to the cellar was on the agenda. Jim provided a detailed explanation of their farming and raising of livestock, grain, trees, and bees! Once in the cellar, while enjoying the 50 degree temperatures, Jim talked about how the temperatures interact with the barrels and the aging process. We ventured up to the second floor of the rickhouse where we were able to feel the limestone wall while enjoying two additional pours from their stave finishing collection.
We then made a stop at the building with an historical display about Margaret Samuels – the marketing mastermind behind Maker’s Mark and the first woman inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. We learned about the quality assurance room, and watched the operation of the bottling line.
Of course, no trip to Maker’s Mark would be complete without stoping at the stunning Chihuly blown glass display!
While in the gift shop, we also had an opportunity to talk a bit more with Jim (our guide) and got a picture with him as well. We highly recommend this tour!
Distillery Trail Statistics
We originally visited Maker’s Mark April 23,2022. It was our 7th distillery and our 4th stamp on the Signature Trail. For this second visit, The Behind the Bourbon tour was a new experience. It was also our 138th distillery experience.
Happy Trails! Rebecca & Wayne
Evening Wrap Up
We headed back to Bardstown and checked into our hotel. While we had planned to go to Mammy’s for dinner, we opted for our other favorite when in town, La Herradura, which has outstanding Mexican food.
It was a great first day and we are looking forward to Wednesday!
All photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer unless otherwise noted.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
What constitutes a wheated bourbon? First, it must meet all the standards to be bourbon. Second, it is common that the second largest percentage of the mashbill is wheat. However, there is no percentage requirement for wheat. Thus, after the minimum of 51% corn is achieved, the remaining mashbill will likely be a mixture of wheat and barley. In essence, the wheat takes the place of the more common ingredient of rye.
Released in 2023; Batch 1; bottle 03788; 5 years old; 99 proof Mashbill – 73% White Corn, 10% Wheat, 17% Malted Barley Color – medium amber Aroma – orange zest, caramel, vanilla, baking spice/nutmeg, golden delicious apple Taste – oak, baking spice/allspice, cherry, cinnamon, honey, raisin, dates; Tasted with dried cranberry – pulled cinnamon forward, with the sweetness of wheat; Tasted with a pecan – nutty, light cinnamon, ginger/gingerbread Finish – warm, lasting, creamy, vanilla, toasted oak General Notes – A very good bourbon that is different, even for a wheated, and pleasant to drink.
Weller – The Original Wheated Bourbon – Special Reserve
Aged 7-8 years; 90 proof Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. Color – medium amber Aroma – honey, caramel, floral/honeysuckle Taste – honey, vanilla, light baking spices, butterscotch, light oak; Tasted with dried cranberry – less sweet, more spicy, slight oakiness; Tasted with a pecan – smooth, creamy, caramel, baking spices Finish – gentle hug, nice warmth, honeysuckle General Notes – A very good bourbon that is smooth and very easy to drink.
Maker’s Mark 101
Approximately 6 years old, 101 proof Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. Color – medium amber Aroma – cherry, vanilla, caramel … caramel corn, apricot, spice Taste – cherry, caramel, buttery, nutmeg; Tasted with dried cranberry – cherry is stronger, baking spice comes forward; Tasted with a pecan – fruit is gone, nutmeg appears, and a woodiness Finish – creamy, gentle, lasting General Notes – Surprised by it being so cherry forward and smoother than we anticipated.
Comparison and Ranking
Aroma Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM Rebecca: MM, WSW, C&K Taste Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM Rebecca: MM, C&K, WSW
Discussion We enjoyed all three of these wheated bourbons. It was interesting to see their differences and similarities. The most “different” of the three was the Castle & Key as its nose had the strong citrus. The Weller SR is incredibly easy to drink on every level. Maker’s Mark 101 was our biggest surprise as it tended to have a bit more complexity and we didn’t anticipate such a strong cherry component. Contributing to our “winning” selection was price and availability. All things considered, we selected Maker’s Mark 101 as our #1 pick.
You can’t go wrong with any of these options, and we certainly recommend each of them.
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The whiskey in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Your Bourbon Journey 