Category: Wheated Whiskey

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Review:

written 03-October-2018

MAKER’S MARK CASK STRENGTH REVIEW:

Easy to drink and with little alcohol heat, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength has the potential to be a “dangerous” treat. The sweet bourbon flavours of caramel, vanilla, and oak dominate, but each subsequent sip coaxes hidden taste sensations. It is hard to believe this bourbon is 113.3 proof.

MAKER’S MARK CASK STRENGTH VITAL STATS:
Maker's Mark Cask Strength Review

– Region: Loretto, KY, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark
– Mashbill: 70% corn; 16% soft red winter wheat; 14% malted barley
(It is said wheat adds a velvety thickness and a slight sweetness as opposed to rye’s spicier characteristics.)
– Barrel Char: Unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– Age: 5-7 years (unpublished)
– ABV: 56.65% (113.3 Proof)
(The proof varies by bottling and is purposely kept lower than most cask strength whiskies to prevent alcohol from overwhelming the taste.)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at https://makersmark.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

A light and pleasant aroma greets the nose. Brown sugar, subtle baked cinnamon and oak are most pronounced.

PALATE:

Soft and warming vanilla greets the tongue and throat. There is a slight young oak woodiness, which is overshadowed by sweet caramel corn and orange blossom honey. Baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg blend with the flavors of sweet brown sugared pastry topped with toasted almond slivers.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Well balanced but not exactly full or smooth, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength coats the mouth in a white pepper bliss when swished and/or “chewed”. In the Glencairn toothpick leg fall quickly back into the burnt amber pool.

FINISH:

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength finishes quickly leaving only bourbon warmth and a desire for another sip.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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Maker’s Mark 46 Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Maker’s Mark 46 Review:

original review was entered 19-December-2017,
then amended 30-August-2019

MAKER’S MARK 46 REVIEW:

This is amped up Maker’s; a little more spice, depth and an enjoyable smoothness. The 9 weeks of extra aging with additional staves in the barrel helps bring out more oak.

Maker's Mark 46 Review
MAKER’S 46 VITAL STATS:

– Region: Loretto, KY, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark
– Age: nas (believed to be 5-7 years)
– Mashbill: 70% corn; 16% soft red winter wheat; 14% malted barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel Proof: 110
(A lower proof than most cask strength whiskies; purposely kept lower to prevent alcohol from overwhelming the taste.)
– ABV: 47% (94 Proof)
– Price $46.95 USD in Idaho

Notes from the Maker’s Mark website:
“The innovative wood-stave-finishing process starts with fully matured Maker’s Mark at cask strength [with] 10 seared virgin French oak staves [inserted] into the barrel and finished for nine [additional] weeks in our limestone cellar. The result is bolder … more complex, [and] without … bitterness.”

Learn more at https://makersmark.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared this spirit neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

No heat on the nose. Detectable wheat, vanilla and brown sugar. There is only a hint of woodiness. As the dram disappears, its oak becomes more prevalent.

PALATE:

Deep spice no doubt a result of the addition of the 10 seared French oak staves and extra aging. There is a little vanilla mixed in with caramel and barrel char and spice.

Balance, Body, Look and Feel:
Makers 46 is a well balanced bourbon but to me feel a little thin in the mouth. In the Glencairn, droplets cling then give way to fast dropping legs . Yes it is a little oily, but its spice overwhelms the palate.

FINISH:

Makers 46 offers a nice fade, but not a particularly long finish.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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1792 Sweet Wheat Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s 1792 Sweet Wheat Review:

originally reviewed 19-December-2017,
amended 09-October-2019*

1792 SWEET WHEAT REVIEW:

Barton’s 1792 Sweet Wheat was one of the first whiskeys of which I purchased two bottles at the same time – after thoroughly enjoying an initial purchase. While not real complex, it has a brown sugar richness and a silky-sweet mouth feel which is so nice. There is a little alcohol on the palate but nothing to cause concern, some nice oak in the background and a finish which is quite short. 1792 Sweet Wheat is a great summer sip.

1792 SWEET WHEAT VITAL STATS:
1792 Sweet Wheat Review

– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Barton 1792 Distillery
– Mash Bill: Unknown (The mash bill for Sweet Wheat is undisclosed. Internet searches indicate wheat instead of rye in Barton’s regular mash bill making this a likely mix of 75% corn, 15% wheat and 10% barley.)
– Cask: New-Charred Oak
– Barrel Char Level: #3.5
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Age: nas (early releases were 8 years)
– ABV: 45.6% (91.2 Proof)
– Price: $36.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at http://1792bourbon.com

*Note: This is an update of an older entry completed in December 2017. The bottle for the update was obtained in February 2019 as a result of my name being drawn from the State of Idaho Liquor Division “Rare Whiskey Lottery”. Sweet Wheat was first purchased in June and then again July of 2017 for around $37 USD.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I first drank this bourbon neat from an half-pint Mason jar. For the update I again enjoyed the juice neat and this time from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

When first brought to the nose there is a faint trace of acetone, but it is not unpleasant. The sensation dissipates quickly and there is no alcohol burn. Sensations of wheat are well defined as are sweet brown sugar and woody caramel. This is a gentle earthy bourbon which offers only a little light dry oak. 1792 Sweet Wheat is not overly complex and it makes me smile.

PALATE:

1792 Sweet Wheat is warming with little to no bite. The taste buds easily pick up the wheat, and with careful swishing, a hint of maraschino cherries along with a faint essence of cinnamon playing hide-and-seek on the tongue. The heat is much like mild white pepper. Its sweetness comes in as warm buttered soft brown sugar caramel on a fresh cut oak stick. This is an earthy dram.

Balance, Body, Look and Feel:
Well balanced, this bourbon is buttery smooth and mellow with a pleasant mouthfeel. In the glass, it tawny appearance offers up long quick dropping matchstick legs leave an ill-defined reverse crown.

FINISH:

The finish on 1792 Sweet Wheat is short, warm and caramelly sweet and as on the nose and palate quite earthy. As the whiskey was drawn down, I sense sawblade-scorched dry oak planks wafting from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

To access other whiskeys with this score, click 88/100.
Click 1792 Barton to see other whiskies from this distillery.

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