Tastes

Yes, it has burnt caramel/maple syrup overtones. Yes it's a bit rye sweet and mild for the "new, cool shaped bourbon bottle of the month" crowd. If bourbon is your thing then no- you're not going to go into fits of ecstasy over BV. Of course the scotch drinkers are rolling their eyes, convinced that you will go blind and insane from Makers Mark. You take water, add grain, stir it good with your athletes foot infested tootsies, distill it down and put it in a wood barrel for years. Hello whisky (or whiskey if you need to..). Pour it, mix it, blend it, take it straight. Just do it responsibly.