Maker's Meditation (Round 3!) - Maker's Mark Cellar Aged 2023 Review
Front and center, a disclaimer- this sample was provided to me by Maker's Mark at no cost, no obligation to review and with no strings attached. I thank them for their generosity in doing so.
Background
“For more than 65 years, aging our whisky for a decade-plus wasn’t something we did. It’s not that we didn’t believe in it; we simply hadn’t found a way to do it that didn’t compromise on our taste vision – until now.” - Rob Samuels. Naturally this begs the question, how did Maker’s arrive at a process they felt did not comprise their taste vision? Here's some background on how this new release came to be:
First, the whiskey ages approximately six years in traditional bourbon warehouses.
From there, the barrels are moved into the distillery’s whisky cellar for an additional five to six years.
The 11 and 12 year barrels are then blended, 13% and 87%, respectively, into this year's release.
It’s worth noting that, while this is the blend for 2023, Maker’s makes sure to call out that the maturation process won’t change moving forward, but the blend of aged whiskey might. It's interesting to take a moment and parse this choice, as it allows them to take an approach similar to Four Roses Limited Edition, where the blend changes annually and gives enthusiasts a chance to compare and contrast vintages. Maker's could have simply gone with "Maker's X Year" and put the age front and center, but instead they put the focus on the craft while noting the age. We will have to wait another twelve months to see how this shakes out, but it leaves the door nicely open for variance. Now, onto the review!
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2023 (11 Years, 115.7 Proof)
Nose: Stewed peaches. Apple strudel and caramel, toasted coconut and oak. It has a sweet, inviting nose but there's a richer oak note I don't normally find in other Maker’s products.
Palate: Pure maple syrup, none of that fake stuff. Honeycomb, tart berries, charred oak and rich caramel. It's a fairly easy through-line from the age statement to the oak and maturity that shows on the palate, providing a fantastic balance to the sweetness.
Finish: Medium to long in length, and like the rest of the sip it's perfectly balanced. Delicious cinnamon sugar, salted caramel, toasted oak.
Excellent (8/10)
Overall: Balance. Just extraordinary balance. It’s hard not to tip my hat to Maker’s at the craft involved in the aging and blend, which leads to a wonderfully consistent taste profile from start to finish. The rich oak is ever present but never tilts towards overly oaked, tannic, or dry. It instead anchors the sip around a delicious and consistently sweet and syrupy profile.
Previous Maker’s Mark reviews: