Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Batch 21-01 Nose: warm cinnamon spice, cut grass, honey, vanilla, burnt brown sugar, a little ethanol heat Palate: cherry, red apple, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla, a touch of oaky wood, hardly any burn given the proof Finish: cut grass, cherry, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, a hint of licorice

Batch 14-01, 113.2 proof. Caramel, dark cherries and spices, vanilla. Rich, smooth and warm.

Cask 21-04. Very spicy and sweet up front. Long flavor after and warm but smooth. Good slow sip. Not much burn for the high proof. Could use a little more fruity twist but overall it’s a great bottle for $35-ish. Welcome to the rotation.

55.7% Sweet up front, with lots of red fruits. Rich cherries. Raspberry. Long and spicier finish, with a good amount of dusty oak. Some distant wintergreen mint.

It tastes exactly how you think it'll taste. It's Maker's Mark ( Standard Maker's ) but with punched up potency. The higher proof introduces some spicy notes absent from standard Maker's. It's still sweet but with a background of heat. Otherwise, its exactly what it advertises. But here's the thing: Maker's makes some amazing cask strength and higher proof bourbons. If you're willing to shell out, get one of their special edition bourbons. 2021's Wood Finishing FAE-01 is a stunning symphony of Maker's sweetness, fruit and just enough alcohol heat to remind you it isn't standard Makers. You won't regret spending the extra dough.

Batch 20-04