Does Maker’s Mark Cask Strength hit the barrel proof mark?
A barrel proof bourbon simply means that the bourbon you’re drinking has the same proof that had it had when it hit the barrel. Makes sense right? These heavy hitters have gained a lot of traction with whiskey fans – enough so that the big bourbon names have finally caved and hoped on the barrel proof bandwagon. Maker’s Mark is no exception.
For the longest time, Maker’s Mark stuck to its original wheated bourbon and nothing else. It took about 60 years for the brand to release a different expression – Maker’s Mark 46. However Bill Samuels Jr., the second generation of the distillery, was apparently staunchly against a barrel proof bourbon for the longest time. When he eventually changed his mind, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength hit the market.
Now barrel proof bourbons can often get a bad reputation for being a bit too intense – usually in flavor, but mainly in heat. Maker’s Mark’s version holds up to this intensity, with one big exception.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength begins with a big aroma of oak and vanilla that does carry an undercurrent of well, alcohol. But any worries you might have about the smell are washed away the sweet flavor of caramel and a thick peppery vanilla. This bourbon almost coats your tongue with a rich texture that continues on with cinnamon and baking spices. It’s almost as if someone took the Maker’s formula and plugged it into an amp. But the one thing that didn’t get amplified was the heat. Somehow, Maker’s managed to crack the formula and create a barrel proof bourbon brimming with flavor, but not drowning in heat.
Maker’s Mark has long been shy about stepping outside of its original formula. However, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength proves what the brand and barrel proof bourbons can really do.
STATS: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
- Price for us: $50 for 750 mL
- Proof: 109 for our bottle, but a market range of 108-114
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Maker’s Mark, owned by Beam Suntory
- Recommendation: Neat
