Nose - salted caramel, cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar, honey, cherry, apple, pecan, cinnamon, soft grain, fresh oak, grass, black pepper, mint, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - cherry, apple, prepared caramel, vanilla, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, grass, cocoa, mint, pecan, grainy oak, black pepper, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with caramel, baking spice, and earthy mint flavors. Based on the positive community impressions, I purchased this bottle of Maker’s Mark, a brand that I’ve never particularly liked. While the 46 bourbon and wood finishing offerings are reasonably serviceable, I find the standard offering to be rather subpar. Right off the bat, this is much more interesting than its diluted sibling. The caramel is strong with this one. Sweet, salted caramel. Apple and cherry also appear, which are rounded out by cocoa, baking spices, and youthful, grassy, oaky notes. Overall, while this is absolutely a step up from the standard offering, I don’t think it’s anything special. The aromas and flavors are punchier and more well developed. However, I wish it were aged a bit longer. The youthful graininess is front and center and ethanol is rather strong on the nose. I bet older aged Maker’s Mark would be pretty tasty, but alas, we may never know. I’m split between rating this one a 3.0 or 3.5. Given its very affordable $40 price point, I’ll err on the high side. If you like young, wheated bourbons or standard Maker’s Mark, this is probably for you. While I’m not disappointed I bought the bottle, I probably won’t buy another.