🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength
Barrel-proof Maker's Mark: 107–114 proof depending on the batch, at least seven years, small batches.
Maker's Mark Cask Strength is a barrel-proof Maker's Mark bourbon bottled without dilution. According to the producer's page, its strength is 107–114 proof, roughly 53.5–57% ABV, depending on the batch. It is the strongest and most intense line of the brand; in Bourbon Obsessed's comparison, toffee and brown sugar dominate.
According to the producer, each batch matures for at least seven years, and batches are made from a small number of barrels, around 24. The bourbon is bottled straight from the barrel, with nothing added or taken away. The mash is the same as in the other lines: corn, wheat and malted barley. The age differs from batch to batch, so the label matters more than a general description.
Why this matters to you. Cask Strength is much stronger than Maker's Mark Classic, so compare the lines by ABV rather than by name, and check the exact strength on the particular bottle. It is not the 46, since there is no stave finishing here. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Legal basis | USA: 27 CFR § 5.143 (bourbon: at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Maker's Mark mash: corn, red winter wheat, malted barley |
| Cask type | charred oak barrels; bottled straight from the barrel |
| Minimum maturation | at least 7 years (per the producer) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 107–114 proof, roughly 53.5–57% ABV, depending on the batch |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Maker's Mark, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 101, 🥃 Maker's Mark 46, 🥃 Maker's Mark 101, 🥃 Maker's Mark 46, 🥃 Maker's Mark Classic, 🥃 Maker's Mark Classic, 🥃 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Cask Strength always has the same strength?
No. The producer gives a range of 107–114 proof because the batches differ.
How long is Cask Strength aged?
At least seven years according to the producer's page.
How does it differ from Classic?
In strength: Classic is 45% ABV, while Cask Strength is bottled undiluted, at 108–114 proof according to Bourbon Obsessed.
What to read next
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 46 — Maker's Mark finished in a barrel with ten toasted French oak staves; 47% ABV per Difford's Guide.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 101 — The classic Maker's Mark recipe at 101 proof (about 50.5% ABV); the producer's page lists it as a limited release.
Similar
🥃 Maker's Mark 101 · 🥃 Maker's Mark 46 · 🥃 Maker's Mark Classic · 🥃 Elijah Craig Small Batch · 🥃 Four Roses Bourbon · 🥃 Four Roses Small Batch
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Maker's Mark: Cask Strength (107–114 proof; min. 7 years; small batches of about 24 barrels; bottled straight from the barrel)
- Bourbon Obsessed: Maker's Mark Bourbon: Proof Matters (Original 90, 101, Cask Strength 108–114 proof; same mash bill)
- Difford's Guide: Maker's Mark Distillery (70 % corn, 16 % soft red winter wheat, 14 % malted barley; 6 to 7,5 years; Maker's 46)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)