Maker's Mark Private Select For WHA Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

$199.00
Overview
Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Single Barrel Private Select | Maker's Mark Distillery, Loretto, Kentucky · 56.2% ABV

Maker's Mark Private Select is not a standard single barrel program. Each barrel is finished with a bespoke combination of ten oak staves, chosen from five different French and American oak profiles, giving every Private Selection its own distinct character while staying unmistakably within the Maker's Mark house style.

This barrel was selected by WHA (Whiskey Hunt Australia) specifically for the Australian market. Bottled at cask strength of 56.2% (112.4 Proof), non-chill filtered. Maker's Mark has released very few Private Selections for Australia, and this is one of them.

Product Details
Attribute Detail
Brand Maker's Mark
Producer Maker's Mark Distillery
Country / Region USA, Loretto, Kentucky
Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Wheated, Single Barrel Private Select
Mash Bill 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley
Age Statement NAS (extra-aged beyond standard Maker's Mark)
ABV 56.2% (112.4 Proof)
Cask Type New charred American oak, custom stave finish
Bottle Size 750ml
Release Type Limited annual release, 2025
Tasting Notes
  • Nose: Caramelised sugar and toasted oak up front, with creamy vanilla, baking spice and a hint of dark fruit from the stave finish.
  • Palate: Rich and full at cask strength: wheat-driven sweetness layered with brown sugar, cinnamon, dark cherry and toasted wood. More complexity than the standard Maker's range.
  • Finish: Long and warming, with lingering oak, vanilla and a dry spiced finish from the French oak staves.
What sets this bottle apart
  • Custom stave finish: ten staves chosen from five French and American oak profiles, unique to this barrel
  • Single barrel: no blending, one barrel, one release
  • Bottled at cask strength (56.2%) and non-chill filtered: nothing added or taken out
  • Hand-selected by WHA specifically for the Australian market
  • One of very few Maker's Mark Private Selections released in Australia — rare access to this program
Distillery Information

Maker's Mark Distillery sits in Loretto, Kentucky, and has been producing its wheated bourbon on the same site since 1954. The Private Select program was introduced to allow retailers and whiskey clubs to design their own stave finish on a single barrel, choosing from ten stave types across five French and American oak profiles before the whiskey goes back to rest and finishes absorbing those additional flavours.

WHA (Whiskey Hunt Australia) made this barrel selection for the Australian market. Given how few Private Select barrels are allocated to Australia each year, this represents a genuine piece of collector access.

Who this bottle is for
  • Maker's Mark fans who want to see what the Private Select stave program actually does to the spirit
  • Collectors after a single barrel cask strength wheated bourbon with genuine scarcity
  • Bourbon drinkers who want a step up from the standard Maker's range
  • Anyone who follows WHA barrel picks and wants this one on the shelf
How to enjoy

  • Best neat first: at 56.2% the stave complexity comes through clearly without dilution
  • A splash of water opens up the wheat sweetness and softens the oak
  • Try neat versus watered side by side to see how the stave finish shifts at different proofs

Why we curate it

Maker's Mark Private Select barrels for Australia are rare, and this one was hand-picked by WHA specifically for this market. Cask strength, non-chill filtered, and finished with a custom stave combination you won't find in any other Maker's Mark release. If you want the most interesting whiskey this distillery produces, this is it.