You know... if you opened up the dictionary and looked up the word "Bourbon" I wouldn't be surprised if you found a photo of a pour of Maker's Mark. This is the most honest "cheap" bourbon I can think of. I've had it dozens of times: neat, on the rocks, in a cocktail...hell you name it ( normally at bars that don't stock any actually good or rare whiskies or bourbons ). But I've never really actually stopped to consider the merits of Maker's Mark on its own. It feels rather silly pouring Maker's Mark into a Glencairn. But I owe it that much for being the underlying staple of my love of bourbons... What a sweet nose! Cream, vanilla and caramel fill my nostrils as I take in the smell. Reminds me of a Werther's original. An almost cloying taste. The front of which is dominated by vanilla and some type of sugary loaf, like those Vanilla cakes you make from the box mix. The finish brings on some flavors other than sweetness, it begins with a little bit of bitter dark chocolate - a surprise and unexpected from the front of the taste. That finish ends quite dry and almost astringent. It tails off the sweetness... or what was left of it from the initial taste. The lingering aftertaste stays slightly bitter and has just a kiss of spice.