Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Batch No. 19-02; 54.8% abv; 109.6 proof I purchased another bottle of this because of my disappointment with the Larceny Barrel Proof A120, and because it was $10 off in March ($39.95). My goal was to see if Maker's holds up to Heaven Hill's new, higher proof wheated offering. I will do a blind tasting before I finish both bottles, but needless to say I'm still biased towards Maker's despite it being worse than the MMCS I purchased in 2019. It was very floral and perfumey when I first opened the bottle. It was similar to a waft of citrus-scented cleaner, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But too much can be overwhelming, and thankfully that has subdued over the last 3 months. Now I get more cherry, cinnamon, dried grass, earthy floral, oak, and orange peel. The nose has improved a lot since it was cracked open. The orange peel note disappears on the palate. I primarily taste caramel, sweet corn, oak, and cherry vanilla. The sweetness that was hidden on the nose by the citrus and floral notes is more prominent on the tongue. Finish is medium with oily oak spice lingering on the back of the tongue with hints of toasted caramel. Maker's Mark Cask Strength was consistently good across two batches, although I preferred Batch No. 18-02 last year. It still remains an excellent value at $50 and is almost always available in my area stores. Highly recommend checking it out if you're a fan of affordable high proof whiskey.

Fucking hot! Lot of spice on this one. After a long time on a large cube it started tasting like a wheat bourbon. I will mix with Larceny and try the Poor,Poor mans Pappy.

This was recommended to me as an alternative to Weller 107. Like Weller it's a wheated bourbon at a slightly higher proof. Like Weller it's spicy with a sweet finish, caramel apple and vanilla. MMCS is also a bit hotter. The proof of the bottles can range and are printed on the label; mine was on the weaker side at 109.1 with a 114 max. I prefer MMCS neat. MMCS is, by a considerable margin, the single finest bourbon I'd ever tasted under $40 and one of my very favorites at any price.

Sweeeet with a beautiful finish. Bursting with sweet and rich flavor that finishes very smooth. Vanilla and caramel with just enough spice that finishes obnoxiously smooth for a 56% alcohol drink.

Nose: hay, spice, sweet heat Palate: sweet corn, hay, spice, butter, oily Nose: short, pepper, little chocolate

Best readily available cask strength value IMO. $40 a bottle and its really solid. Sweet on nose, burn doesn't reflect its 110 proof, sweet on tongue, easy going down. Fantastic value, favorite daily drinker