Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Batch 17-02 @ 110.7 proof (This is now available in 750ml bottles) Nose: Cherries, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Cinnamon and Straw. Give it a couple minutes in the glass and a Varnished Oak note makes an appearance. Neat: A thicker mouthfeel than the standard expression. Enters slightly spicy with Butterscotch, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Light Orange Peel and Cinnamon. Finish: Coats with Slightly Bitter Oak and Tingly Black Pepper. It warms, but isn't harsh or hot like I tend to get from the 90 proof MM. Splash: Gives the nose and palate a slightly floral note. Amplifies the chocolate note on the palate and takes a little of the astringency out of the finish. I enjoyed it equally neat or with a splash. Verdict?: I really liked this one. It's nice to have a cask strength offering in the 110'ish range (One of my favorite bourbons of all time was the cask strength 108 Rare Breed). It allows you to sample the spirit "as is" without blasting your palate with a super high proof. My store had both a 110 and a 112 version, but I deliberately went with the lower proof in order to do a side by side with Weller 107. My only quibble with this is the price. A $50 purchase is about $10 over my standard bourbon budget (and $10 more than the 46 which I like better) and about $20 more than the Weller 107 (when I can find it) so I don't see this being a regular pour for me. Kudos to MM for making this available. 4 1/2 Stars.

Opens up with intense sweet vanilla and a hint of red fruit, then transitions to a strong tobacco and oak aftertastes. Remarkably smooth, with some pleasant heat that lingers long past any other flavor.