Maker's Mark
Maker's Mark
56.05%%
11-14 Years
This is the fourth annual release of Cellar Aged, Maker's Mark's extra-aged bourbon. The bourbon gets its name because it spends a portion of its aging period in Maker's Mark's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified cellar made out of limestone, which Maker's Mark believes effectively slows aging thanks to its cool environment.
2026's Cellar Aged is a blend of 49% 11-year-old, 33% 12-year-old and 18% 14-year-old bourbons, bottled at a cask-strength 112.1 proof (56.05% ABV). It has a suggested retail price of $175 and is scheduled for a nationwide launch Sept. 1, followed by availability in the U.K., Germany, Korea, Japan, Australia and Global Travel Retail.
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Rich and full on the nose with a big browned butter note, plus cherry, gingerbread, cinnamon, crème brûlée and bright green apple.
Great viscosity. The palate is sweet and quite oaky. Apple, butterscotch, black tea, milk chocolate, maple, peanut brittle, crème brûlée, candied orange, cherry, plum, almonds. The back end pulls in toasted marshmallow and some wheaty funk.
Long finish that leads with spice — cinnamon, clove, nutmeg — which gives way to honey and black cherry.
What stands out to me the most is the impressive balance of this whiskey; it is simultaneously bright and yet dark and tannic. The grains (wheat in particular) have a lot to say here and aren’t overpowered by the oak — evidence that Maker’s Mark's limestone cellar approach to slow aging is working as intended. Another year, another successful batch of Maker's Mark Cellar Aged.
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Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.