Maker’s Mark announced the launch of the second bourbon in its Wood Finishing Series, a nationally-distributed, limited release finished using wood staves. The 2020 Limited Release expression, SE4, features enhanced vanilla and caramel notes, the company said.

This year’s Limited Release was bottled at 110.8 proof, and 750ml bottles will retail for a suggested $59.99 beginning in September.

This year’s process involved two different stave styles, one of which drew out added vanilla, the other of which brought additional caramel notes, per a news release.

The first stave is made from virgin French oak, convection-cooked at medium heat with a short toasting period. The second stave is made from virgin American oak convection-cooked at low heat over team to extract vanilla.

The 2020 Limited Release base is cask-strength Maker’s Mark placed into secondary barrels containing the proprietary wood staves. The barrels were then rested in the Maker’s Mark limestone bourbon cellar where the bourbon interacted with the staves before being mingled together to develop the expression’s unique flavor.

The multi-stave approach was the result of more than a year of experimentation with Maker’s Mark barrel producer. By contrast, the first in the Wood Finishing Series, last year’s Stave Profile RC6 release, utilized a single stave that focused on amplified fruit flavors.

The distillery is currently celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Maker’s Mark 46, the first bourbon created using the stave-finishing technique.