09/04/2026
There are barrel picks… and then there are days like this! 🥃
On Monday, the Grapes & Grains crew headed back to Maker’s Mark to do one of our favorite things of the year: build a barrel from the ground up.
If you’ve never done the Maker’s Mark Private Selection process, it’s pretty incredible. You work through five different stave profiles, tasting, blending and tweaking until you land on a combination that just clicks.
Last year, we came home with our Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow pick.
This year?
We may have topped it.
Introducing what we’re calling Pecan Toasted S’more — rich, nutty, toasted, sweet and ridiculously good. Think toasted pecan, warm graham cracker, chocolate, caramelized marshmallow and that unmistakable Maker’s Mark backbone tying it all together.
Hannah and the Maker’s Mark barrel selection team absolutely crushed it, as always. Amazing hospitality, an incredible look around the distillery, and most importantly… we found a barrel we cannot wait to share with you.
Now comes the hard part: waiting.
Our barrel should make its way to Grapes & Grains sometime around December. If the whiskey gods cooperate, maybe we’ll have a little Christmas present waiting for everyone. 🎄🥃
If not, it’ll be one heck of a way to start the new year.
Grapes & Grains Maker’s Mark Private Selection: Pecan Toasted S’more.
You’re going to want this one.
