Bourbon Review: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength

Intro: Maker’s Mark is the very first bottle of bourbon I ever bought. I’d like to say I first picked up a bottle of it because of my in-depth research or a recommendation from a knowledgeable bartender, but what really got me was the packaging though. The red wax and embossed glass made it look like a classier bottle than its neighbors on the shelf. So I picked it up, and at the time I loved it. As I’ve delved deeper into the bourbon world I’ve left Maker’s Mark behind, categorizing it as an intro bourbon. For a few extra bucks the likes of Four Roses Single Barrel can be had. When I learned though that Maker’s had released this Cask Strength version at 56.6% alcohol, I was dying to get my hands on a bottle. When a whiskey is cask strength that means it is not diluted with water to lower its proof. This will result in an alcohol percentage in excess off 55%, rather than the standard 40% that is achieved by adding water to the whiskey. I have a real love for cask strength whiskey, and find it really interesting to get a chance to taste the spirit as it comes from the barrel, uncut.

Price: $40 in NYC for a 375ml bottle. I know, this is expensive, but cask strength alcohol normally comes at a premium as far as cost is concerned, and I appreciate them selling it in the smaller format bottle to soften the price blow. It would’ve been harder to justify picking up a 750 of this stuff at $75 or $80. To my knowledge this is receiving limited distribution, so if you see it around make sure to grab a bottle before they’re gone.

Age: A blend of 19 different barrels of varying ages.

Strength: 56.6%

Appearance: Dark caramel.

Nose: Brown sugar and lots of cinnamon. You can tell that this is cask strength.

Taste: Full-flavored caramel, cinnamon and rye spices. This is rich and creamy.

Finish: Goes down incredibly smooth for being 113.2 proof, much milder than the nose indicated. Mild and pleasant burn with a combination of rye spiciness and cinnamon being the last thing on the palate.

Overall: All in all this is a fantastic whiskey. The rich and complex flavors present in this whiskey is much, much better than what you’d find in a standard bottle of Maker’s. If you are able to get your hands on it, grab a bottle (or two).

Score: 91/100