When I went on holiday with some friends at Easter, we wanted a bourbon that we could drink neat and mix into whisky cocktails. So we turned to our whisky bible, the brilliant 101 Whiskies by Ian Buxton. One of his recommended bourbon’s was this dram, so we scouted around the local shops and found it in Wadebridge Wines. Sadly, we ended up paying a little more than necessary, but needs must.
As bourbons go, this is a very interesting one. It uses no rye within the mashbill, instead choosing to use red winter wheat. There is a legend that due to time and finance capacities that William Samuels developed the whisky by baking seven loaves of bread instead of distilling seven vats of whisky!
Price: £20 – 30
ABV: 45%
Appearance: Golden Reddish Orange, like an Eternal Summer Sunset.
Aroma: Light cinnamon spice, golden syrup sweetness and almond cherry fruit.
Taste: The start of this dram is full of sweetness, almonds, cream and honey.
The middle is rich with sweet berry fruit, like a maraschino cherry.
Finally, there is a warming, wooden spice that builds slowly and smoothly across the back of the mouth and then down the throat.
Mouthfeel: Spicy, Sweet and Fruity.
Overall: I had expected to be underwhelmed by this dram, especially as I felt grumpy about paying way more than I could have for the bottle. Instead I was treated to a really different American whiskey experience. The nutty initial flavours which blur into cherry fruits are the main flavours here, which are distinct, different and to my palate delightful. This dram may leave some hardcore bourbon nuts disappointed by the comparative lack of wood and spice, but for the price, I think there are few more interesting.
Real Dram Factor: 7.3
Source: Bottle purchased from Wadebridge Wines
More Information: www.makersmark.com/taste
Buy Online: Amazon – Makers Mark 70cl: £21.99