2.0 Stars - Nice, but…; 750 ml bottle Everyone knows the middle child gets screwed. The youngest gets pampered. The oldest gets lauded for their accomplishments. Maker’s Mark is the middle child, sandwiched between the regular 90 proof and the cask strength at 113 proof. It comes in a nice red box, probably ideal for holiday gift giving. How does it compare? Bottle is super boring; the gold lettering looks cheap. The flavor turns down everything I like about Maker’s (caramel, vanilla, brown sugar) and turns up the oak. The finish is dry and astringent. The body is thin and flat. The other expressions from Maker’s are dramatically better. This seems unnecessary. If we need something for the holidays, why not put a Christmas theme label on the Cask Strength? If we need something at this proof, why not do a bottled-in-bond?