Maker's Mark Bourbon

Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky has been churning out a steady supply of wheated bourbon (and nothing else) since its founding in 1953. They may occasionally vary the color of their wax by the season but what’s in the bottle of this red winter wheated bourbon hasn’t changed much in 66 years.

Vanilla bean and crème brûlée dominate a sweet nose, with a touch of spicy oak in the background. The palate is soft and sweet, with vanilla upfront, followed by a dose of spearmint, a just-opened loaf of whole wheat bread, and bitterness from Baker's chocolate and coffee grounds. The finish is short and vanilla-forward, rounded out by tannic oak towards the back.