Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Now Has an Age Statement
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Most of us are old enough to remember when whiskey brands were removing age statements from their labels (in fact, if you’re not old enough, you probably shouldn’t be reading this). That’s all changed—and we’ll get into some of the reasons below—but the latest to add an age statement to its label is Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, an often-underrated wheated bourbon that is consistently good.
Maker’s Mark is owned by Suntory Global Spirits (formerly Beam Suntory), so it’s sort of a sister distillery to the James B. Beam Distilling Co., but the whiskey it makes is very different. In fact, up until very recently, Maker’s Mark only made one style: wheated bourbon (it now makes wheat whiskey in small amounts as well under its Star Hill Farm label). That means the brand uses wheat instead of rye as the flavoring grain in the mashbill, which is thought to give the bourbon a softer, sweeter flavor profile.
Regular Maker’s Mark is aged for around six years and bottled at 90 proof, and is an affordable and high-quality option for both seasoned drinkers and beginners. Cask Strength, however, is aged between seven and eight years and bottled between 107 and 114 proof, and the exact age will now be featured on the label to offer consumers a bit more transparency about what’s in the bottle. According to the image provided by the distillery, the first batch of Cask Strength with an age statement is 7 years and two months old, but that will vary with each release. The same goes for the proof, and for this first batch that is exactly 110. That might seem low, considering that this is a cask-strength bourbon, but that’s due to several factors, perhaps most importantly that the barrel entry proof of 110 (which is coincidentally what this first batch is bottled at) is much lower than the legal limit of 125 for bourbon.
As for why Maker’s is adding an age statement to the label, the brand doesn’t say, so we can only speculate. Other brands owned by Suntory Global Spirits have done the same thing over the past couple of years, like Jim Beam Black and Knob Creek, and Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon started listing the exact age on the label after getting rid of its 12-year designation. Aside from providing transparency, this could most certainly be because people are drinking less and there is more older stock available, allowing brands to list the age. While the Elijah Craig example might seem to counter that, in fact there have been batches that are much older than the 12-year age statement.
“We’re thrilled to showcase Cask Strength in a new premium glass bottle, and adding the age statement underscores that our spirit is precisely aged to taste and meticulously blended, while also delivering the transparency and batch specific details bourbon lovers are looking for,” said master distiller Dr. Blake Layfield in a statement. “In many ways, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is where it all begins for us—straight from the barrel with the inviting warmth and velvety mouthfeel Maker’s Mark is known for.” We did not get a sample of the bourbon yet, but according to Leyfield there are notes of dark cherry, toasted oak, salted caramel, and warm vanilla on the palate, with dark chocolate and spices on the finish.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength (SRP $50)—now with an age statement and in a new glass bottle—is rolling out nationally starting this month. And you can find other expressions, including the old Cask Strength bottle, at websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker
