Maker's Mark Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whisky

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength delivers the distillery’s signature soft, wheated bourbon profile with amplified richness, intensity, and warm barrel spice. Bold yet velvety, it transforms the familiar Maker’s flavor into a deeper, more robust expression — a powerhouse bourbon that remains remarkably approachable even at full proof.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Maker’s Mark is renowned for its wheated bourbon mashbill, replacing rye with soft red winter wheat to create a round, gentle, naturally sweet flavor profile.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is bottled straight from the barrel, uncut and non-chill-filtered, highlighting the purest form of the distillate. Key elements include:

• Mashbill: Corn, red winter wheat, malted barley

• Barreling: New American white oak barrels, deeply charred (#3–#4 char)

• Proof Range: Typically 108–114+ proof depending on the batch

• No dilution: Full barrel strength showcases natural sweetness, spice, viscosity, and depth

This expression embodies Maker’s classic identity while offering enthusiasts a more intense and flavor-saturated bourbon experience.

Critics Reviews

Professional reviewers consistently praise Maker’s Mark Cask Strength for:

• Enhanced mouthfeel and concentration, often calling it “a richer, more dimensional Maker’s.”

• Beautiful balance at high proof, showing sweetness, spice, oak, and heat in harmony.

• Luxurious texture, with many critics noting how the wheat mashbill softens the intensity of barrel strength.

• Standout value, often cited as one of the most accessible and consistently well-made cask-strength bourbons on the market.

This whiskey is widely regarded as essential for fans of wheated bourbon and cask-strength releases.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla bean with hints of baking spice, toasted oak, ripe apricot, and warm brown sugar.

Palate:
Full-bodied, rich, and mouth-coating. Flavors of caramel fudge, red fruit, wheat sweetness, cinnamon, clove, and charred oak build in layers. The high proof adds warmth while preserving the signature Maker’s smoothness.

Finish:
Long, warming, and gently spicy. Notes of vanilla cream, toasted oak, dark caramel, and nutmeg linger with satisfying depth.

Quick Overview