Tastes

Pretty solid. No sign of young, musty youth notes which is exceptional. With some more age, this should be a winner.

Nose: Sugar, molasses and a huge floral punch Mouthfeel: A little thin but coats nicely Taste: Like shoving your face in a bouquet, the sweetness almost totally vanishes in lieu of a huge floral flavor. Finish: Sugary sweetness shows up a little bit, with a little vanilla. Overall: Not bad, not sure it's worth the $20/350ml price but I'm always willing to give something local a shot every now and again; I'm not overly disappointed. I'm giving this a Rank 4. It's not amazingly complex, or delicious. It's just kind of there. A thin, sweet floral dram with no real complexity.

Nose: A little sweeter than standard Makers. Much more vanilla and maybe a hint of cinnamon and oak? Makes sense for all of that oak staves shenanigans. Taste: Not at all like the nose. A bit spicier and woodier than regular makers but no vanilla and weird sweetness showing up. Splenda sweet, almost. Finish: Fairly short, mild heat and some funky spicy Splenda sweet on the way out. Overall: It's not bad. I like it more than original Makers but it certainly isn't a show stealer. I like the nose a bit more but wish it followed through in the body. Interesting experiment by MM though and I'd love to try the CS of this sometime. Rank: 5

Nose: Very sweet, lots of vanilla, sugar, ice cream cone type cookie notes. Cinnamon and a little oaky clove, but very much a leaner into the sweet category. A lot of corn syrupy notes here which I think is the culprit. Taste: Sugar and maple. Originally, I thought the proof was overpowering but that was definitely my virgin palate. Sweet and sugary, almost vegetal and corn heavy. It's complex but leans towards the sweet side with a lot less oak influence than expected for the age. Finish: Medium but complex and relatively gentle. The proof is there but it's not punishing. Just a nice sweet departure (literally) Overall: This is a fine dram, especially at the price. Although I'm not taking price into account, it's worth noting that this is a great value since it can be had for $45 or so where I'm from. It's no bargain like the Eagle, but it's still very reasonable. The flavors are strong and complex and there aren't any major flaws to speak of. For that, I'll give this a Rank 6. Thanks for reading! Rank: 6

Nose: Initially a wave of sugar and maple. After sitting for fifteen minutes or so, the initial acetone fades to maple and brown sugar with some hints of orange/lemon and vanilla. There's some odd passion fruit, lots of sweetness and smells very well rounded out. Taste: This is a nice relaxed dram, decent mouth feel with no hint to the proof. A bit sweeter too. I taste much less fruit than I smell but there is an odd maple flavor mixed with fruitiness that appears. Lots of cinnamon, maple, clove, sugar and a light hint of oak. Finish: Pretty relaxed here also. It's medium in duration with very gentle heat. Lots of sweet notes with a fair hint of wood peeking in. Overall: Overall, I'm going to give this a Rank 6. It's delicious, complex and also well made. I'm happy to have picked this dram as a starter.