With our new shipment of Maker’s Mark coming in, I thought why not enjoy some this weekend. Well, I unsurprisingly decided to go with the Maker’s Cask Strength! So happy I did too! The best you’re gonna get without drinking straight from the barrel!
Maker’s Mark was one of the first to develop a premium image around their bourbon, and has held themselves to high standards to this day! Maker’s main focus is producing the highest quality bourbon they can, and they have a steadfast reputation for their craft. They do that by having such a small selection of whiskies in their repertoire. The other thing that sets them apart is the use of red wheat instead of rye in the mash bill. Rye is easily the most commonly used second grain in the mash, Maker’s is one of the few companies that wanted to go a different route. Instead of the spicy bite of the rye, wheat brings on a sweeter and more smooth sip.
It was never in the cards in the beginning to create a Cask Strength version of Maker’s. After years of inquiries and one evening trying it out of the barrel, they thought, why not! The winners of that decision, us bourbon drinkers! We get another tasty treat to have on our shelves.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is not for the drinker looking for a mild sipping bourbon, although I would encourage all to try it! This bottling is a bold, revved up offering of Maker’s. Everything you have already loved from the standard bottle, but just turned up a few notches! The vanilla and caramel flavours are much more pronounced. Robust orchard fruit notes with an undercurrent of cinnamon providing that wonderful spice bite. The finish is much longer than that of the standard release and you don’t get the roughness you’d expect from a cask strength.
This is well worth a try if you are looking for a bourbon with a bit more power! And when the world opens back up, a visit to their distillery in Kentucky should be on your list, go hand dip your own bottle!