Maker's Mark Cask Strength

[jackthedog]

The 750s just hit shelves around me. I'm trying to determine if it's worth grabbing one at $59.99.

Do people expect this to go the way of ECBP?

[Madhatter]

The 750s just hit shelves around me. I'm trying to determine if it's worth grabbing one at $59.99.

Do people expect this to go the way of ECBP?

MMCS seemed to be perpetually available after its initial release. It still is available in most markets where it was originally released. ECBP has documented scarcity (see the ECBP thread). Also, MMCS quality/price ratio is questioned often. Rarely so for ECBP.

[Jazz Nut]

MMCS finally appeared in Minnesota. I bought 2 750's ($59.99) and a 375ml ($30.99), cracked one of the 750's open, and I REALLY like this, at first whiff it smells like Maker's, but it's like the volume is turned up to 11. Better flavor and mouthfeel than regular Maker's or Maker's 46. With that said, I think I prefer ECBP or CEHTBP, but still am glad I bought a few bottles.

[garbanzobean]

MMCS has officially hit Maryland. Picked up a bottle today for $57. I would honestly have preferred a 375ml, but the extra coin is still cheaper than a trip to the distillery. I'm sure it'll be great in coffee if I end up not liking it.

[upStomp]

It arrived up here last week, but an easy pass at $70/750.

[Sean Bond]

What's the general consensus on how this stuff stacks up to the other wheaters on the market? I like the stuff fine, but have no experience with the "higher end" wheaters, so I don't know if my appreciation is based on it being the strongest I've had, or on the fact that it's a good bourbon. For reference, I've had regular MM, Weller 12 and Special Reserve, ORVW 10/107 and Lot B (so no WLW or Pappy of any sort).

[Madhatter]

What's the general consensus on how this stuff stacks up to the other wheaters on the market? I like the stuff fine, but have no experience with the "higher end" wheaters, so I don't know if my appreciation is based on it being the strongest I've had, or on the fact that it's a good bourbon. For reference, I've had regular MM, Weller 12 and Special Reserve, ORVW 10/107 and Lot B (so no WLW or Pappy of any sort).

Here's my take on MMCS, without including detailed tasting notes. MMCS is a pretty good bourbon. To me, it's proof and taste profile is in the league with Old Weller 107. However, in the world of cask strength/barrel proof bourbons, it's only average at best. Much better cask strength things are out there from ECBP to some of the barrel proof ryes.

[squire]

I like the stuff fine, but have no experience with the "higher end" wheaters, so I don't know if my appreciation is based on it being the strongest I've had, or on the fact that it's a good bourbon. For reference, I've had regular MM, Weller 12 and Special Reserve, ORVW 10/107 and Lot B (so no WLW or Pappy of any sort).

In my view Makers is as high end as the others mentioned and is closest to the original Stitzel-Weller formula. All use a similar mash bill (18-20% wheat) and there's not much you can do with that to create a different flavor profile except age it longer and/or bottle at a higher proof. One supposes Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill use an in house proprietary yeast (Makers got their yeast from Pappy) and I like to believe the most costly brands benefit from more closely monitored barrel selections but the base distillate is the same.

Remember the reason Pappy and his distillers selected a wheat mashbill in the first place was not because they believed it made a better Bourbon but because they believed it aged faster.

[Sean Bond]

In my view Makers is as high end as the others mentioned and is closest to the original Stitzel-Weller formula. All use a similar mash bill (18-20% wheat) and there's not much you can do with that to create a different flavor profile except age it longer and/or bottle at a higher proof. One supposes Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill use an in house proprietary yeast (Makers got their yeast from Pappy) and I like to believe the most costly brands benefit from more closely monitored barrel selections but the base distillate is the same.

Remember the reason Pappy and his distillers selected a wheat mashbill in the first place was not because they believed it made a better Bourbon but because they believed it aged faster.

That makes sense, thanks. I remember reading someone's comment somewhere (can't remember if it was here or on another website) in which they said that this was, in their opinion, the closest you could currently get to Pappy without having Pappy. I took it with a grain of salt, obviously, but I was still curious what people thought. I've got a 375mL at home, but one of my local places has a 750mL for $55, which I'm seriously considering picking up.

[tanstaafl2]

That makes sense, thanks. I remember reading someone's comment somewhere (can't remember if it was here or on another website) in which they said that this was, in their opinion, the closest you could currently get to Pappy without having Pappy. I took it with a grain of salt, obviously, but I was still curious what people thought. I've got a 375mL at home, but one of my local places has a 750mL for $55, which I'm seriously considering picking up.

Most "Pappy" probably isn't as close to what Pappy made (Old Fitz) as Makers is, at least in formula. It is run on a different still and aged in different warehouses in different locations. I suppose the 23yo still could be a similar formula since it is S-W distillate but I have no idea if S-W after Pappy died made any changes to the formula or yeast. Quite possible they did.

But they are all going to be different so I find it best to just drink it for what it is, find the one(s) you like and not worry about whether it is "like" Pappy.

Edited May 4, 2015 by tanstaafl2
To clarify that Pappy his one self didn't make "Pappy"!

[garbanzobean]

That makes sense, thanks. I remember reading someone's comment somewhere (can't remember if it was here or on another website) in which they said that this was, in their opinion, the closest you could currently get to Pappy without having Pappy. I took it with a grain of salt, obviously, but I was still curious what people thought. I've got a 375mL at home, but one of my local places has a 750mL for $55, which I'm seriously considering picking up.

Maker's Mark (regular) isn't sought after like many other wheaters because it isn't limited edition or hard to find. The initial release of MMCS made people really excited, but that excitement "coincidentally" died off at the same time as people realized it was going to be readily available nationwide. Or so it seemed to me. So try it for yourself and bunker it if you like it, not because it's rare or a substitute for some other rare bourbon.

Edit: I should add that I haven't particularly cared for anything by Maker's Mark in the past, but am giving them a retry this year, specifically due to ease of availability. Starting with the cask strength.

Edited May 4, 2015 by garbanzobean

[Sean Bond]

Maker's Mark (regular) isn't sought after like many other wheaters because it isn't limited edition or hard to find. The initial release of MMCS made people really excited, but that excitement "coincidentally" died off at the same time as people realized it was going to be readily available nationwide. Or so it seemed to me. So try it for yourself and bunker it if you like it, not because it's rare or a substitute for some other rare bourbon.

Edit: I should add that I haven't particularly cared for anything by Maker's Mark in the past, but am giving them a retry this year, specifically due to ease of availability. Starting with the cask strength.

Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of regular Maker's Mark, but MMCS is pretty solid.

Most "Pappy" probably isn't as close to what Pappy made (Old Fitz) as Makers is, at least in formula. It is run on a different still and aged in different warehouses in different locations. I suppose the 23yo still could be a similar formula since it is S-W distillate but I have no idea if S-W after Pappy died made any changes to the formula or yeast. Quite possible they did.

But they are all going to be different so I find it best to just drink it for what it is, find the one(s) you like and not worry about whether it is "like" Pappy.

I'm not particularly worried; I'm more curious than anything. I know it's hard to bring up Pappy without sounding like I'm one of those guys who think it's the be-all and end-all, but I just like to get a gauge for what I'm drinking (a baseline for quality), and it's hard with wheaters since they're en vogue.

[squire]

In vogue yes but the upshot is now there's a greater choice of them.

[unclebunk]

Most "Pappy" probably isn't as close to what Pappy made (Old Fitz) as Makers is, at least in formula. It is run on a different still and aged in different warehouses in different locations. I suppose the 23yo still could be a similar formula since it is S-W distillate but I have no idea if S-W after Pappy died made any changes to the formula or yeast. Quite possible they did.

But they are all going to be different so I find it best to just drink it for what it is, find the one(s) you like and not worry about whether it is "like" Pappy.

Good advice. The cask strength Makers Mark that I tried was quite enjoyable and worth checking out, regardless of the Pappy comparison. For those who may be skeptical about its quality, perhaps you can find it in a bar somewhere and sample it before plunking down cash on an entire bottle. I guess it's worth pointing out though that I really like regular Makers Mark, so I was bound to enjoy the new stuff. I know it's as common as any whiskey can be but it's well-made, tasty and affordable which hits every checkbox for me.

Edited May 5, 2015 by unclebunk

[squire]

Just as a comparison Old Fitzgerald was commonly available back when Pappy himself ran the company.

[Harry in WashDC]

Sort of what unclebuck said. To me, MM is ok but I don't drink or buy it regularly. The MM46 is tastier to me, but if I'm going "wheat", I'll go all the way to Bernheim or I'll pull out my cached OWA so I don't buy MM46, either, and never see it when I'm out so don't drink it regularly. I am on my first MMCS, however (it was on sale so figured I'd try it). I like it best of the three but still prefer OWA, and price has nothing to do with it.

[The Black Tot]

I still have to give Maker's a proper shake.

I have maintained my boycott of half-size bottles, and of the 750 being just a straight 2x the price of the 375 lol, but would certainly like to know what that cask strength tastes like.

A tour sounds like the right solution to this the next time I'm through KY

[signde]

I have maintained my boycott of half-size bottles, and of the 750 being just a straight 2x the price of the 375 lol, but would certainly like to know what that cask strength tastes like.

the 375 was $40 when it came out at the gift shop. i think i saw $35 when it released to other markets. the other day i saw a 750 for $53. i can't speak for every market but it's certainly not the price of 2x 375 here.

i think it's good stuff. certainly a step up from standard makers.

[The Black Tot]

The 375 can be found for 27.95 in Texas, so 55 is, yup, almost perfectly twice the price for us.

[dSculptor]

Finally received mine from a friend ..$55 ,had a swig, but it was at the tail end of the night and after numerous pours, it still tasted good, but will have to visit again fresh for a fair evaluation. It was quite a day and night at that, whisky consumed way too much of me.

[unclebunk]

Picked up a bottle today for $50 which was $10 less than I saw it yesterday at Binny's. I thoroughly enjoyed the two pours that I had at my friend's house last week and I'm looking forward to opening this bottle tonight.

[IowaJeff]

I picked up a 375 a couple of weeks ago and cracked it open last night. I thought it was fantastic. I like regular maker's mark, but not enough to buy a bottle. I'll have a MM at a bar every now and then. I expected the cask strength to just taste like regular MM with a higher proof. I don't know, that might be all it is, but to me it has a depth of flavor that standard MM doesn't touch. Or most readily available bottles for that matter.

[jeffrey r]

I agree there Iowa Jeff. I think the MMCS is exponentially better than the standard MM. With the 750's now available around me, I would likely stock up at the mid-$50's price point. However, I am holding off on buying more MMCS only because I still have several bottles of the HHSS around, which is older wheated bourbon, similarly CS, and uniquely finished (and simply awesome...). But kudos to MM for doing this well IMHO.

[The Black Tot]

This is in line with my present hypothesis that for me, a wheater needs to be above 100 proof in order to "pop" for me.

At 90 and below, the wheat recipes don't seem to impress. Rye recipes I can enjoy at the lower proofs.

Like every hypothesis, it exists to be proven wrong, but so far this one has held up.

Now that I'm seeing reports of 750s at $50 in Texas, it's getting to be time I gave this a shot when I'm next there in June.

[IowaJeff]

This is in line with my present hypothesis that for me, a wheater needs to be above 100 proof in order to "pop" for me.

At 90 and below, the wheat recipes don't seem to impress. Rye recipes I can enjoy at the lower proofs.

Like every hypothesis, it exists to be proven wrong, but so far this one has held up.

Now that I'm seeing reports of 750s at $50 in Texas, it's getting to be time I gave this a shot when I'm next there in June.

You may be right. I've never thought that bourbon needs to be over 100 proof for me to enjoy it, but now that I think of it, all the wheaters I enjoy the most are higher proof. I find I don't need to add water to high proof wheaters as often. A 110 proof rye recipe bourbon is usually going to get some water. Not so on the wheaters though. A small splash at most.