Tastes

This bourbon has a delightful nose rich in caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and a ton of grape. In addition to the sugary notes is a splendid amount of oak and rye spice. Some peppery notes come forward and fill the nasal passage. Tasting brings the sugars immediately which coat the palate and tongue making the mouth water for the next sip. The finish is rather fleeting, attributable to the low proof but is a mouthful of flavor. Lovely offering but rather overpriced. Nose: 4/5 Taste: 4/5 Overall: 4/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Friday night pour

The nose is sweet and spicey. Sweet notes of maple syrup, vanilla, caramel, and ripe red apple are mixed with spicey oak, rye and black pepper notes. Further wafts relinquish citrus and melon. Sipping it fills the throat with the spices but not in an overpowering manner. The roof of the mouth begins to salivate from the sugars coating the teeth and palate. The proof does not go unnoticed with some ethanol notes also adding to the flavor profile and creating a long lasting finish. This is a very good bourbon and for the price bats well above its price point. Adding a few drops of water releases more of the melon and citrus notes as well as the nuttiness associated with Jim Beam products. I like the standard 100 proof 9 year Knob Creek but like this one even more. Overall Impression: Nose - 4.25/5; Taste 4.25/5; Finish 4.0/5 Overall 4.25/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Friday night Pour/Special Occasion

This bottle was gifted to me and not available for purchase in my area, therefore, no price provided. On the nose vanilla, white grapefruit, and pepper come through immediately with lighter notes of smoke, and burnt sugar. Going in deeper, a marmalade note comes across. The first mouth swish hits and coats the tongue with the sugar notes and the back of the throat gets a gentle tickle of the spices. The teeth are coated as well filling the entire mouth with a long lasting finish. Lovely. Further sips bring out the citrus and mellow out the spices with the brown sugar and vanilla now taking most of the profile. The upper palate is now coated with most of the taste remaining focused there. This is a very nice rye and worthy of a spot on anyone's bar. Nose: 4.5/5 Taste: 4.25/5 Overall 4.3/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Special Occasion

This is very much an allocated product in my market and extremely difficult to obtain. The nose is brilliant full of caramel, vanilla, honey, citrus, and rye spice. The palate is full of rich sugary flavors, topmost being caramel and honey. The finish is medium to long and a lovely spice builds in the throat. Further sips bring out cherry, unripen apple, and melon. This is a special bourbon and worthy of its fancy packaging. Each sip seems to be smoother than the last and creates a salivating sensation making you want for the next sip. This was very much worthy of the chase. Nose 4.5/5 Taste: 4.5/5: Finish 4.5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Special Occasion

The nose is inviting and full of caramel, vanilla, and honey notes mixed with a ton of rye spice and oak. I also pick up a wee bit of brine and smoke. On the palate, the spices are muted but remain present, and a sensation of sweetness hits and sticks to the teeth with a salivating sensation created on the palate. Further swishes bring out Bartlett pear, apricot, and unripen mango. The finish is medium and continues to create the mouth to water. This is a very good bourbon and worthy of a place on your bar. Very smooth. Nose 4.25/5; Taste 4.25/5 Finish 4.25/5 Overall 4.25/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: at $70 a Friday night pour, this should be $50 and at that price would be a Daily Drinker

Manitoba Liquor Mart Barrel #6 Stave Profile: 2:1:2:4:1 The nose is quite peppery with tons of rye and oak spices coming forward. Brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla are also present. The mouth feel brings the spices out completely with a mild burn in the back of the throat. The caramel and brown sugar sit on the roof of the mouth lingering and causing a mouth watering feel with the vanilla note diluted and sitting near the teeth. The finish is long enough to allow all of the flavors to mingle in the mouth for a enjoyable experience. It is very evident that it is a Maker's Mark product as the nose and mouth do retain much of the standard Maker's profiles, but all notes are elevated and more evident. This is a very good ratio of the staves. Overall Impression: Nose 4.25/5; Taste: 4.25/5 Finish 4.25/5 Score: 4.25/5 Repurchase: Limited product (Not possible) Type: Special Occasion

The typical Makers Mark nose is immediate on this product with caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and a mild amount of oak and rye spice taking center stage. However, the French oak staves add a complexity that far surpasses the base product adding a semi sweet chocolate, coffee, and unripened mango. The mouth swish brings the full complexity of spices to the back of the throat with a pleasant black pepper, rye, and a slight amount of oak. The brown sugar coats the palate releasing a salivating sensation creating the need to have the next sip. At the front of the mouth and coating the teeth the vanilla and caramel are very noticeable. Lost upon tasting, or very muted, are the coffee, chocolate, and mango notes that were very present on the nose. I love the standard Makers offering and am a big fan of this product. I would love to try the cask strength version of this product. Nose: 4.25/5 Taste: 4.25/5 Overall 4.25/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Daily Drinker