Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
The old adage with whiskey goes something like “the older the better!” Or, at least, that seems to be the view from the average consumer. High age statement whiskey is highly sought after, with examples including the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and Pappy Van Winkle line, the limited Elijah Craig releases (18 & 23 year), the Michter’s line (10, 20, & 25 year releases), Russell’s Reserve 13, and on and on, with a list full of “unicorns” that every whiskey hunter is on the lookout for.
The truth is that aging is more a color palette with which distillers can change the flavor of the whiskey, rather than an ‘age+bourbon = better’ formula. For instance, a 45 year-old rare bourbon was later described as “…so tannic, it sucked all the moisture from my mouth… I couldn’t chug enough water to get my salivary glands working again.”
Thus, blenders and distillers constantly monitor their barrels to tell when a whiskey fits the flavor profile they’re looking for.
Today’s review is for the Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon. A new limited-release expression, it features a combination of 11 and 12 year-old Maker’s Mark bourbons, making it one of the older bourbons now on the market from this brand. In a 2020 article, the then director of innovation for Maker’s Mark, Jane Bowie, stated “[a]fter about eight years, [Kentucky] bourbon gets too woody and starts to really take over the whiskey… Back in the day we had some experimental 12-year-old stuff that I kind of thought was terrible. It was flat and it felt like someone had left the lid off the bottle for too long.”
The Cellar Aged release is thus a testament to the care Marker’s Mark used in experimenting and selecting the Cellar Aged bourbon, finally settling on a method they believed produced a great result.
Interestingly, the bourbon is essentially just an older version of their standard Maker’s Mark. It has the same mash bill and is aged the same initial six years in Kentucky rickhouses. However, the Cellar Aged barrels are then put into a whiskey cellar for an additional five or six years. According to Maker’s Mark, “[t]he cellar’s consistently cool environment slows down the tannic impact that occurs during maturation, while allowing the bourbon to develop a deeper, darker flavor with hidden depths, but no bitterness.”
This also reduces the “angel’s share,” preserving more of the liquid for longer, and is likely a relief for the Kentuckians who have to wrestle with the darker side of the phenomenon. This is reflective of practices of those making extreme aged whiskeys, using denser wood and lower, even temperatures to slow the aging process, like making tea vs. an espresso.
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With this product, Marker’s Mark has something very interesting in their hands. The vast majority of bourbon distillers only age their whiskeys in large rickhouses, not cellars. By using slower, cooler, aging methods akin to Scotch and brandy, they might be able to find some new flavors not already explored in the saturated bourbon market.
While this particular release did not hit the idea out of the park, I am excited to taste future releases as Maker’s Mark tweaks their formula to highlight the unique characteristics of a cellar aged bourbon.
Tasting Notes: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon
Vital Stats: Blend of 11 and 12-year-old bourbons; 115.74 proof (57.87 ABV); $150/750ml.
Appearance: Dark orange, with brown and a touch of light pink hues.
Nose: Toffee and astringent sawdust are readily apparent. Buttered toast, cloves and orange spice weave their way through the smell.
Palate: The whiskey opens very nicely with dark chocolate and bitter orange, evolving to butterscotch with a touch of tobacco and cinnamon. It flattens into bitter oak toward the end, but the finish enriches the oak with caramel and a faint suggestion of mint as it fades.
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