Maker's Mark
Maker's Mark
55.45%
NAS
Maker's Mark, one of the larger producers of bourbon in Kentucky, produces wheated bourbon that is sold both domestically and abroad. Until recent years, Maker's only produced a small handful of products. In the last couple of years, though, products like Maker's Mark 46 and Maker's Mark Cask Strength have seen domestic releases. A major criticism of the brand, though, was the absence of a barrel selection program in favor of wax dipped limited editions. That has now changed. A barrel selection at Maker's Mark is unique, though, in that you choose a combination of staves to mature in a barrel, and that barrel is bottled. This is different from almost any other barrel selection process on the market. For better or for worse, this creates a very different product than their core line of expressions. I've set out to try approximately a dozen of these various private selections, completely blind, to gather my thoughts on how their releases are shaking out.
Orange zest, caramel, confectioners sugar, light maple candies.
Thin to medium mouth feel, very little heat. Caramel, honey, some pepper, lightly sweet with maple. The heat grows with time, though, and some dryness arises. Faint tobacco.
Medium length, mild in heat. Sweet caramel, toffee, little bit of oak and tobacco.
Overall, this was well made, if a little muted. It wasn't terribly complex, but it was enjoyable.
5