Maker's Mark Cask Strength
Beam Suntory · Maker's Mark Distillery, Loretto, Kentucky
Maker's Mark Cask Strength is the same wheated bourbon the distillery has made since 1958 — pulled out of the barrel and bottled without water. No dilution means no muting: the caramel is darker, the wheat is rounder, and the oak is fuller than the standard bottling.
Nose
Rich caramel and vanilla lead, with baked apple, toasted wheat bread, and a layer of cinnamon-sugar. A backdrop of charred oak and dark honey emerges as the glass opens.
Palate
Full and concentrated. Caramel and brown sugar arrive first, then soft wheat pillows the palate before cinnamon, dried stone fruit, and vanilla custard build mid-palate. The proof is present but never sharp — the wheat recipe keeps everything round.
Finish
Long and warming with toffee, baking spice, and a final note of lightly charred oak. The wheated mash bill leaves a softness that lingers without heat.
- Mash Bill
- 70% Corn, 16% Soft Red Winter Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
Cocktail Suggestion
The Cask Old Fashioned: 2 oz Maker's Mark Cask Strength, 0.25 oz demerara syrup, 2 dashes Angostura, 1 dash orange bitters. Stir, strain over large cube, express orange peel.
Food Pairing
Thick-cut pork chop glazed in apple butter.
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