One of my top three favorite distilleries to visit in Kentucky is the Marker’s Mark Distillery. Although I love their campus, I have had a less-than-favorable relationship with their products over the years. However, over the past two or three years, I have absolutely come to love several of their new product lines and updated releases. One of those updated releases is today’s review from the Maker’s Mark Distillery and is their newly age-stated product, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength

Bottle Information

From the Maker’s Mark website: Bottled at barrel proof, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength it’s the boldest representation of our craft. It’s a whisky that provides a deepened experience of our signature tasting notes,​ with amplified notes of dark cherry, toasted oak, salted caramel, plenty of warm vanilla and a harmonious finish of dark chocolate and soft spices.

Each batch of Cask Strength is aged to perfection for a minimum of 7 years, when it reaches the perfect balance of flavor and is bottled in small batches. This means that each release is unique, yet every drop is unmistakably Maker’s Mark.

• Distiller: Distilled, Aged, and Bottled by The Maker’s Mark Distillery
• Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Soft Red Winter Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
• Proof: 112.6
• Age: 7 Years 2 Months
• Year: 2026
• MSRP: $55
• Official Website

This bottle took a bit to be released in the NoCo area, but it is now quite available in our local stores. Overall, I am not one who typically enjoys the standard release form Maker’s Mark; however, this age-stated cask strength release is truly excellent. With great red fruit notes throughout and a vanilla explosion on the palate, this is a very well-balanced pour for those in the mood for a sweet-forward bourbon. With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Red Fruit (Strawberry/Cherry), Vanilla, Brown Sugar, and Oak
• Palate: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cherry, Oak, and Brown Sugar
• Finish: Medium with Lasting Notes of Vanilla and Cherry
• My Rating: Drink It! (Cask Strength Markers Mark is truly excellent! I usually do not like the standard release, but this fruit and vanilla explosion is absolutely fantastic!)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman®