Maker's Mark Cellar Aged (2023 Release)

Was told this was fireball on steroids and so true. Body is so hot like it’s all spice and cinnamon. Definitely have to enjoy that to love this (I do). A little sweetness to keep it balanced but this is all spice. Makers just always kills it!

Oh boy. Ever since Cellar Aged was announced, I searched every bar I could find, high and low for a taste. I couldn't justify the prices this bottle was going for in my area. Alas, that taste was never to be. And then I got a notification from a global whiskey distributor that they had bottles available for about $200 less than market value local to me. Yes, that still makes this a ridiculously pricey bottle... but I gave in. After all, I'm a bit of a Maker's Mark fanboy having previously collected every edition of their now defunct Wood Finishing Series. The nose is quite heavenly. It reminds me of the first time I caught a whiff of RC6 and realized that Maker's Mark could be so much more than Maker's 46. It's bold from the proof but deliciously sweet. Caramel syrup drizzled over Monkey Bread ( do you remember eating this as a kid? ). Maple Syrup and vanilla bean carry the sweet nose but wait.... do I detect some spiciness? Besides the cinnamon from the Monkey Bread, some very faint baking spice hides somewhere behind all of the viscous sweet. That viscosity carries into the palate. First thing you notice is just how tongue coating and oily the mouth feel of this bourbon is. Delicious caramel syrup drapes that cinnamon sweet, sticky Monkey Bread on the nose. Dark cherries make an appearance somewhere mid palate and as the taste goes down, the back of the taste introduces some cinnamon spice to the party. Or perhaps it stuck around from the front of the taste to the back. As the finish comes on, that spice stays but ushers in drier flavors such as leather and charred oak. It's a long lasting finish with an emphasis on the sweet cinnamon heat that's stayed all the way from the nose to the tail end of the finish. Bravo to Maker's Mark for this one. Boo to all of the gougers who are selling this bottle for quadruple MSRP. If you get a chance to try this Bourbon, please do. You might think you know Maker's Mark, but this bottle will challenge that notion. A nearly perfect bourbon.

I loved, loved loved this one. It filled my nose from the beginning. When i took a taste, it excited my palate all the way from beginning to finish. It was sweet and creamy. It had an amazing mouthfeel. The caramel and vanilla was very forward and perfect to taste. I thought it was very balanced and a great drink.