Maker’s Mark returns with Cellar Aged
The second release in the Cellar Aged series pushes Maker’s Mark Bourbon to even greater ageing lengths.
Maker’s Mark changed course last autumn when it debuted Cellar Aged, a line of age-statement whiskies. Priding itself on ‘ageing to taste, not time’, the Kentucky distiller gave eager Bourbon drinkers a chance to taste its whiskey at an advanced age for the first time. While the 2023 release, a blend of 11- and 12-year-old Bourbons, was the oldest whiskey that Maker’s Mark had bottled, this year’s release pushes the age even further. Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 comprises 15% 12-year-old Bourbon and 85% 13-year-old Bourbon. “We surprised the world with the debut of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged last year – a bold step in our family’s legacy because, for more than 65 years, ageing our whisky for a decade-plus wasn't something we did,” said Rob Samuels, eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director. “Staying true to our founders' flavour vision and our relentless pursuit of excellence, we’re thrilled to introduce our most mature Bourbon yet.” Cellar Aged 2024 is bottled at 59.7% ABV and listed at US$175. It is available in the US from today (16 September); in the UK, Germany, and select travel retail markets in the coming weeks; and in Korea, Japan, and Singapore from early 2025. On the nose, the whiskey delivers caramelised sugar, zesty citrus, and toasted almond, with buttery shortbread, rich coconut, and bright spices appearing on the palate. Maker’s Mark is able to age its whiskey for longer by moving barrels to a limestone whiskey cellar, built in December 2016, where a cooler climate tempers some of the oak influence. “Delivering an elevated expression that’s distinctly Maker’s Mark, Cellar Aged finishes maturation in our LEED-certified cellar, built into the limestone shelf that surrounds us, creating a richer, deeper and more complex Bourbon, free from the harsher tannic effects commonly found in older American whiskies,” said head of innovation and blending Dr Blake Layfield. In the US, Cellar Aged 2024 will additionally be available for purchase at the Maker’s Mark Distillery by booking the Cellar Aged Experience.
