Review by: The Muskox
Back when I reviewed Pappy 15 earlier this year, I made a promise to review more American whiskey before my year-end wrap-up post. I, uh, haven’t done that yet. The challenge still stands!
Might as well start with the easy stuff, then get to the good stuff. Would you believe this is only my second time trying Maker’s? It’s easy to try and review when you can find a mini at any liquor store for $4 or so.
Distillery: Maker’s Mark.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Style/Region: Straight Bourbon / Kentucky.
ABV: 45%.
Age: No age statement.
Cask type: New charred oak barrels.
Price: $4 for the 50 mL mini.
Nose: Sweet. Lots of apple juice. A little of that bubblegum I hear so much about in wheated bourbon, getting stronger as the whiskey sits in the glass. Heavily-frosted carrot cake. The sticky floor in front of the slushie machine.
Palate: Medium-light texture, very little heat. Arrives with buttered corn and apple. Stays sweet through the development, with some charred oak flavour but minimal spice. Bubblegum and orange zest.
Finish: Short and light. Browned butter, caramel, and banana. A little more bubblegum.
Conclusion: It’s fine, but fairly bland. The palate especially feels somewhat hollow. That bubblegum note is much nicer than the one you tend to get in my native scotch – maybe it’s rounded off by all the caramel that tends to come with it. I’m not sure if I know what exactly I like in bourbon yet, but I do know that I like bourbons with either more punch or more complexity than this one. Ideally more of both.
Final Score: 70.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 