When a blender with Heather Greene's résumé finishes a rye in port casks, it's worth paying attention, even if the result is more after-dinner sipper than daily drinker.

Maker's Mark's 2026 Wood Finishing Series release, tasted after three years of lost interest in the series. Tasting notes, the BEP comparison, and an honest verdict on whether it's worth chasing.

Finished bourbons aren't exactly rare anymore. Every year it seems another distillery experiments with different oak species, wine casks, or finishing techniques in search of a new flavor profile. Sometimes the finish transforms the whiskey. Other times it feels like a gimmick.

I hadn't planned on picking up a bottle of Green River Honey Finished Bourbon. Truth be told, I'm still a little skeptical of the flavored whiskey boom that's swept through bourbon over the last few years. Some releases have been better than others, but few have left me wanting to buy a bottle, let alone recommend one.