Maker’s Mark Introduces New Oak Stave For Their Private Selection Program

For the first time since they introduced their Private Selection Program in 2015, Maker’s Mark is expanding the possibilities for customers looking to create their own custom whiskey with the introduction of a new Roasted French Mendiant stave.

The new stave option was created by Independent Stave Company (ISC), the cooperage that has been producing barrels for customers around the world since 1912, and has replaced the distiller’s Roasted French Mocha stave.

According to information from Maker’s Mark, the new Roasted French Mendiant stave was “named after a traditional French confection featuring chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts.” Traditional mendiants are usually produced for Christmas and feature dried figs, almonds, hazelnuts, and raisins resting on a disc of bittersweet chocolate.

Working with ISC, the goal was to find the right combination of wood and cook style that would take “the flavor cues from the program’s Mocha stave” and expand them to include “amplified milk chocolate, buttery nut, deep coffee, and dried dark fruit notes.”

If you’re unfamiliar with it, Maker’s Mark’s Private Selection Program allows customers who own bars, restaurants, or retail shops to create their own take on the popular bourbon. The program finishes cask strength Makers’ Mark for nine extra weeks in barrels specially fitted with wood-finishing staves.

Customers are given the chance to customize the barrel with a choice of five different stave types: Maker’s 46, Toasted French Spice, Baked American Pure 2, Seared French Cuvee, and now Roasted French Mendiant. The number of staves allows for 1,001 flavor combinations, which are each bottled at cask strength.

While the Roasted French Mocha stave will be replaced, Maker’s Mark will still be honoring those selections that included Mocha in their recipes. The distiller will keep a store of Mocha staves on hand for future barrels ordered by those Private Selection customers.