Maker's Mark The Heart Release 2024 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

Special editions/limited releases….we all love to feel we are getting some special and something a little out of the ordinary and the whiskey world be it here in the US, Ireland, the UK or indeed anywhere else in the world are awash with Special Editions in an effort to entice you to part with more cash. 

Diageo are well renowned for their annual Special Releases that add eye watering price increases to their products. Due to exorbitantly high prices and often times a perception that the quality of liquid inside the bottle is not worthy of the price, it’s quite easy to find dusty bottles of Diageo Special releases at nearly every whisky store you go to. In fact back home in the UK and Ireland Diageo were doing a fire sale of inventory on the Bezos marketplace at prices that were 40-50% below recommended retail price.

The special release craze is of course alive and well in bourbon and I have one from Maker’s Mark, the 2024 Heart release.

So far we’ve had the ‘The Keeper’s Release’ which showcased the skills of those who look after the maturation of Maker’s Mark. ‘The Heart Release’ is inspired by the distillery team covering all aspects from milling, mashing and distilling.

What make’s it different then?

Maker’s Mark The Heart Release 2024 (55.85% abv/111.7 proof)

$88/£65/E75

Mash Bill: 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley

Finished with two sets of virgin French Oak staves, 10 staves each. One set inserted in the barrel for 5 weeks, the other for 9 weeks. The maturation occurs in the Limestone cellar in the distillery property where Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged is matured.

Nose: Cacao nibs, bruised mint leaves, cherry, leather, warm caramel sauce. The oak is very present and forward along with espresso. A little cooked peach too. Water opens things up a little with smores, orange peel and more menthol.

Palate: It’s oak forward and spicy on arrival! A nice oily mouthfeel though. 2nd sip brings out caramel, marshmallow and toasted oak. There is cherry here again as well as vanilla although they are muted compared to the spice. Chilli pepper heat, hot cinnamon and cloves. Water helps here…it mutes the spice attack adding a little cola sweetness, citrus and chocolate.

Finish: Medium length with prickly oak spices, capsicum, flat cola and leather.

Score: 6 out of 10

Overall: This is a solid whiskey but for me the oak has overpowered the spirit massively. Interestingly I really enjoyed the last bottle of Maker’s Mark CS I had, scoring it a 7 out of 10 which is nearly half the price of this at around $42 a bottle. I actually felt it was better balanced and less oak driven.

It was nice to snag a bottle of this but I don’t think it was truly worth the extra cash over the Cask Strength Maker’s.

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