Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series Bourbon: Stewards Release
The Stats
- Distillery: Maker's Mark Distillery
- Location: Loretto, KY
- Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Series: Wood Finishing Series – Stewards Release
- Proof: 109.8 Proof (54.9% ABV)
- Age: NAS (Estimated 6–8 Years)
- Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
- Stave Profile: 10 Virgin Toasted American Oak Staves
- Release: 2026 Limited Release
- MSRP: $75
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Maker’s Mark has spent the last few years turning its Wood Finishing Series into one of the more interesting ongoing experiments in bourbon. Instead of chasing age statements or proof wars, the series focuses on how different oak-stave combinations can reshape the familiar Maker’s Mark profile from release to release.
The 2026 Stewards Release continues that approach, leaning heavily into sweetness, texture, and dessert-like richness rather than aggressive oak or spice. Built using 10 virgin toasted American oak staves and bottled at 109.8 proof, this release feels less like a dramatic departure from Maker’s Mark and more like an amplified version of everything people already love about wheated bourbon. That is exactly why this bottle surprised us.
Going in, we expected a possible letdown. What we found instead was one of the richer and more approachable pours in the Wood Finishing lineup so far.
Dessert Bourbon Done Right
Finished bourbon can sometimes feel overly engineered. Extra oak, extra sweetness, extra finishing techniques layered on top of a whiskey that already worked perfectly fine on its own. The Stewards Release manages to avoid that trap by staying remarkably balanced and familiar throughout the experience. This still drinks unmistakably like Maker’s Mark.
The classic wheated profile remains front and center, bringing soft sweetness, creamy texture, and an almost velvety mouthfeel from the first sip. But the toasted oak staves push the profile deeper into dessert territory, adding notes of cinnamon French toast, vanilla icing, marshmallow, milk chocolate, and toasted caramel without becoming overly sugary or artificial.
What stood out most was the texture. This release feels rich without becoming heavy. Sweet without becoming syrupy. Even at nearly 110 proof, it drinks comfortably and smoothly, carrying enough spice underneath the sweetness to keep the pour from becoming one-dimensional.
Compared to some previous Wood Finishing releases, this one feels less oak-driven and more focused on sweetness and drinkability. Fans of Keepers Release will probably find a lot to love here.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
Immediately recognizable as Maker’s Mark, but amplified. Vanilla, caramel, honey, and cinnamon rise out of the glass quickly, alongside a rich wheated sweetness that almost feels like frosting or vanilla icing. The longer it sits, the more dessert-forward it becomes. Cinnamon French toast, toasted sugar, marshmallow, and light milk chocolate all begin to emerge beneath the sweetness. There is oak present, but it stays soft and supportive rather than dominating the profile.
Taste
Velvety is the best word for it. The mouthfeel is rich, creamy, and incredibly approachable for the proof. Sweet notes arrive first with vanilla, caramel, toasted marshmallow, and cinnamon layered across the palate. As the whiskey develops, more chocolate and toasted oak begin to appear, adding depth without shifting the pour too far into dry territory.
Despite the dessert-forward profile, the whiskey never completely loses its balance. A gentle spice and toasted oak backbone help prevent the sweetness from overwhelming the experience. This feels intentionally crafted to emphasize comfort, richness, and drinkability over complexity or intensity.
Finish
Medium in length, with lingering notes of cinnamon, toasted sugar, soft oak, and creamy wheat sweetness. The finish stays warm and dessert-like, fading gradually into light chocolate and baking spice notes. More toasted oak begins to show up toward the end of the glass, but it never overtakes the sweeter profile.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
8.5 / 10 - Very Good
Maker’s Mark Stewards Release succeeds because it understands exactly what it wants to be. This is not a bold oak monster or an ultra-complex limited release trying to impress you with intensity. Instead, it leans fully into the softer, sweeter, velvety side of wheated bourbon and executes that profile extremely well.
At around $75 MSRP, this feels like one of the more approachable and enjoyable releases in the Wood Finishing Series, especially for drinkers who prefer dessert-forward bourbon profiles over heavy tannin or aggressive spice.
Fans of Keepers Release will likely feel right at home here, while newer bourbon drinkers may find this to be one of the easiest higher-proof limited releases to enjoy neat.
A smooth landing. One we would gladly revisit.
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