Maker’s Mark‘s claim to fame is that they do one thing and they do it extremely well. That’s not entirely true these days with the advent of Maker’s 46 and the Private Select series, not to mention the special releases that have been coming out the last few years including the Wood Finishing Series. But the main goal for Maker’s Mark has always been to remain within that brand flavor profile, and that is why they have never released an extra-aged version — until now.

Last week I traveled out to Maker’s Mark to tour the new innovation lab. We spoke with Beth Buckner, Innovation Manager at Maker’s Mark, as well as a new member of the Maker’s Mark team, Dr. Blake Layfield.

“For more than 65 years, aging our whisky for a decade-plus wasn’t something we did,” said Rob
Samuels, 8th generation whisky maker and grandson of the founders at Maker’s Mark. “It’s not that we
didn’t believe in it; we simply hadn’t found a way to do it that didn’t compromise on our taste vision –
until now. Cellar Aged embodies an older whisky that’s distinctly Maker’s Mark. One rooted in
challenging convention, delivering new flavor experiences from the environment that surrounds us, and
building on a taste vision that’s been generations in the making.”

Maker’s Mark took almost fully-matured barrels and placed them in the cellar, a manmade cave that was blasted out of the rockface to serve the 46 and Private Select programs, which previously could only take place in the colder months of the year. The result is Maker’s Mark Cellar-Aged Bourbon, a Bourbon made up of 11 and 12-year-old barrels of Maker’s Mark’s standard Bourbon.

While consumers have been clamoring for an extra-aged Maker’s Mark since the advent of the brand, it hasn’t been a high priority because of the concern that it just wouldn’t be Maker’s anymore.

MSRP for Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon is $150 and it will be available in the United States starting in September of 2023. It will appear in London and Munich as well as global travel retail in October of 2023. It will be bottled at cask strength, which is 115.7 proof.

Photos Courtesy of Maker’s Mark