Men’s Journal Spirits × Whiskey Bonded

Maker’s Mark Private Selection

Two Barrels. Two Recipes. One very limited release.

I built one of these barrels, and I think it’s the winner. Taste them side by side and tell me — am I right, or was I very wrong?

You Be the Judge

Get on the list — we’ll email you the moment the bottles drop.

Kentucky Black Forest Cake and Kentucky Snickerdoodle bottles side by side

It started in the blending room

Men’s Journal Spirits and I teamed up with Maker’s Mark to create two one-of-a-kind Private Selection barrels. It started in the blending room in Loretto, Kentucky — ten finishing staves, two different ideas.

I sent them the recipe that became Kentucky Snickerdoodle. Then the Men’s Journal team built its companion, Kentucky Black Forest Cake. The wild part? The two recipes share seven of the same ten staves. Change just three pieces of wood and you get two completely different whiskies.

Two barrels. Both good. But mine’s best.

I’m not going to pretend to be neutral here — I built the Snickerdoodle recipe, and I think it’s the winner. But don’t take my word for it. Taste them side by side and you decide: am I right… or was I very wrong?

Conrad’s pick

Kentucky Snickerdoodle

Whiskey Bonded’s recipe

Warm and dessert-like, with toasted caramel, vanilla and baking spice, followed by milk chocolate and almond. Sweet, but never too sweet.

Stave profile: 0 P2 · 4 Cuvée · 0 Maker’s 46 · 3 Mendiant · 3 Spice
Proof: 110.5
ABV: 55.25%

Men’s Journal’s pick

Kentucky Black Forest Cake

Men’s Journal’s recipe

The darker, richer side of the pair. Dark chocolate, coffee and cherry, with warming spice and caramel from Maker’s 46 staves.

Stave profile: 0 P2 · 4 Cuvée · 3 Maker’s 46 · 3 Mendiant · 0 Spice
Proof: 109.5
ABV: 54.75%

Get on the list for this exclusive release

We’ll email you when the bottles become available. Don’t miss the bottle drop — and tell us which barrel you’re backing.

You Be the Judge

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A collaboration between Men’s Journal Spirits, Whiskey Bonded, and Maker’s Mark — Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, barrel finished with 10 oak staves, hand-dipped in that famous red wax.