Maker's Mark 101

Very drinkable.

Nose: Classic MM character - brown sugar, vanilla, touch of oak, with that solid whack of cherry. A touch of hot cinnamon and clove. The added ethanol helps dial everything up and makes this a little more interesting than it's lower-proof bretherin. Red apples, raspberries, and just a touch of super-ripe blueberries. There's also a faint granola character waaaay in the back - giving me a bit of a fruit parfait with vanilla yogurt vibe. Also a small bit of maple is threading through, adding some dimensionality to the sweetness. Palate: Again, delivers the classic MM profile - vanilla, sugar, oak, and cherry. The oak here is a touch more astringent, though not in an unappealing or intrusive way - but that tannin is definitely present. Menthol. Big League Chew, complete with the powdery coating to prevent the shreds from sticking together. A little more baking spice punch, with more cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Plenty of upper-mids, this sits on the middle-back of the palate. Medium mothfeel, a touch syrupy. Finish: Begins oak forward, then a swell of ethanol comes through. As that subsides, the baking spices and classic MM sweetness show, along with a touch of barrel char and bitter chocolate. Just the faintest whiff of burnt peanuts going on. Medium length. Other notes: Standard Maker's just isn't my thing, but their variety of experiments with proof, maturation, finishing, etc have been pretty interesting. As a solid sipper that isn't trying to steal the show, I like this. There are plenty of other bottles at or around this proof I tend to prefer, but this is a solid entry into that arena and a great option if you want a break from the usual WT101s and KCs of the world. Worth a buy, though not compelled to always have it on hand.