Castle & Cairn

Trip Inspiration Almost seven years ago, I signed up for the Maker's Mark ambassador program, a free email list which comes with the novel kicker of being able to follow a barrel of Maker's Mark whisky through their production process. At six years and eight months of maturation, I got a notification that my barrel was ready and would be in the second season batch for 2025. While it might be a bit of a gimmick, I just had to go up to Loretto, KY for the free tour and specially labeled bottles (TBD on if it tastes any different than regular Maker's). A buddy and I decided to make a long weekend out of it, stopping into a handful of other distilleries nearby.  Itinerary Overview While we chose to stay in Bardstown, the bourbon capital of the world, I believe Louisville is increasingly the home base for most bourbon trips. That being said, I quite enjoyed the quiet and small town vibes of Bardstown. The drive from Atlanta, GA took about six hours on mostly state highways but w...

Maker's Mark 46, first released in 2010, is the second longest tenured expression from Suntory's wheat powerhouse, differentiated from that original 1958 product by proof and the addition of a French Oak finishing period. The name comes from the Independent Stave Company 's "Stave Profile 46". The exact specifications of that product are not publicly available, but we know that the company sources oak from the Vosges and Centre regions, known for  their straight, fine-grained wood. Thanks to the forest management provided by the French state, the trees in these regions tend to be taller, straighter and older on average. They do source some timber from other specific forests, such as Fontainebleau, Bertranges, Tronçais, Chantilly and Berce, but it is likely that a significant demand order comes from the main two regions if the brand is still sourcing from Independent Stave. In theory, the addition of these staves for finishing should produce a thicker and more nuan...

Maker's Mark has been a go-to brand of mine since before I knew what bourbon was. The sweet wheated mainstay of that namesake was the first 1.75L bottle of whiskey I ever bought and so it will always hold a special place on my palate. Maker's does a lot of things right, including their Marker's Mark ambassador program which let's brand fans have their name put on a barrel and to get bottles filled specifically from that barrel. Mine will be mature sometime later this year and I'm excited to go visit it. I'd always heard great things about the cask strength as well, so let's get into it... 🛒 Sourced:   $39.99 at Tower Liquors Buckhead - GA 🧪 Proof:  110, 55%  📚 Background :  Ranging from 108 to 114 proof, Maker's Mark Cask Strength is uncut by the addition of water. Most Maker's batches are barreled at 110 proof with higher angel's share batches notching up a wee bit. They do screen filter the bourbon to remove wood pieces and char, but from th...