Maker’s Mark No. 46 French Oaked 2023 Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Maker’s Mark No. 46 French Oaked Cask Strength 2023
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Barrel Finished with Ten Virgin French Oak Staves

55.15% ABV
$65
Website
Maker's Mark No. 46 French Oaked Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky

What the Distillery Says

This rare expression is uncut, bottled at cask strength to deliver layers of caramel, almond, fig and chocolate that reach the palate in waves. Not your typical barrel proof, it offers standout flavor and smoothness – the result of a singular, French-oak finishing.

My distillery team swore up and down I had to try Maker’s 46 at cask strength. It took some convincing—because 94 proof is my sweet spot for 46. It’s where that French oak finishing comes through with layers of caramel, vanilla and baking spice. But the intensified experience delivered at barrel proof opened up deeper and darker notes of chocolate and almond with a more complex finish. Well, they convinced me. And I think you will be convinced, too. This is a different kind of cask strength and a different side of 46.
BILL SAMUELS JR.
SON OF THE FOUNDERS, BILL & MARGIE

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich, chocolate turtle brownie, oak, vanilla, walnuts, cinnamon with a hint of graham cracker.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, caramel, charred oak, cinnamon, cocoa, vanilla and cherry cola.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with oak, cinnamon and pepper over brown sugar.
Comments: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is often a no brainer pickup for me. I know, it isn’t age stated (or even pretending to be that old), but it’s tasty as hell. This follows that tradition and doesn’t disappoint. Wish this wasn’t just an annual release. A bit of water tamps the cinnamon and thickens the mouthfeel further, bringing out more chocolate notes. Just a really solid bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 007

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Batch 007, Bottled Jan 2015

56.3% ABV
$85-$110
Website
Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 007

What the Distillery Says

Emphatic, full bodied and utterly unforgettable. 10 Year Old Original Cask Strength Laphroaig is the authentic way to experience the rugged character of our uncompromising Scotch whisky. It is an Islay single malt that is barrier-filtered only and bottled at natural distillery strength. This gives a depth of genuine tasting and texture normally associated with sampling a whisky at its source.

We recommend that you add twice as much water as whisky to fully appreciate the taste characteristics of Original Cask Strength Laphroaig. Whisky at cask strength may overpower the palate, but adding water will release a rich aroma of peat smoke with some sweetness and strong hints of the sea.

What Gary Says

Nose: Peat smoke, medicinal, salty sea air, vanilla, creosote, leather with a bit of light caramel.
Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel with sweet malt, caramel, peat, cracked pepper, toffee, grilled peaches, pears and oak.
Finish:  Long with syrupy smoke, sea salt, honey and peat.
Comments:  Just another lovely example of Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength! I can’t recall when I bought this, but I finally sat down to do a studied tasting of this while reviewing Batch 015. Both were fairly similar, but this one was clearly a step up in my opinion. In the glass this was slightly darker (touch more of a golden hue), but overall I found this to be richer, with more depth – not sure if there were some older casks in the mix or what but I really like this one.

Rating: Must Try

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Stillman’s Sonder American Single Malt Whiskey Aged 10 Years

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Stillman’s Sonder American Single Malt Whiskey Aged 10 Years

48.2% ABV
$70
Website
Stillmans Sonder American Single Malt Whiskey Aged 10 Years
We would like to thank Dancing Goat Distillery and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

What began as a collection of orphaned barrels evolved into a project more than 10 years in the making. From 2010 to 2016, distillation at MGP in Indiana included a series of large exploratory test runs which resulted in a number of unused barrels. Recognizing their potential, the Maas family quietly acquired and curated these stocks over time, with a vision to release them as 10 plus year aged whiskey.

Led by Tom and Nick Maas, the Dancing Goat team embarked on an 18-month process of analysis, blending, finishing, and refinement to take the most choice barrels from their elusive aged stocks. Stillman’s Sonder American Single Malt was distilled in Indiana and aged in Wisconsin. After initial maturation, it underwent three rounds of blending, re-barreling, and finishing across a range of casks—including virgin oak, ex-bourbon, Wisconsin brandy, Cognac, and Calvados—before bottling at 96.4 proof (48.2% ABV).

“Stillman’s Sonder is both a tribute and a celebration of everything made possible by the spirit makers of America’s Heartland,” said Nick Brady Maas, Contemporary Stillman and Blender, Stillman’s Sonder.

What Gary Says

Nose: Fruit salad with peaches, pears and apricots, caramel, toffee, malted grain, and a hint of fresh walnuts.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, vanilla flan, pears, apples, oak, cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of cedar.
Finish: Moderately long with honey, caramel and cinnamon.
Comments: This is impressive. American Single Malt is a growing category, and bottles like this are a big part of the reason why. This is delicate, with the cedar note hinting slightly at juniper (not like you’d mistake this for a gin, but like there was a drop of gin in the mix). For me the newness of the category is what makes it interesting, as we don’t have some preconceived notion of “This is what American Single Malt should be” – it can surprise us. And most importantly – sipping it on the back porch was most enjoyable!

Rating: Must Try

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Stillman’s Sonder Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Stillman’s Sonder Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

47% ABV
$70
Website
Stillmans Sonder Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
We would like to thank Dancing Goat Distillery and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says:

The Dancing Goat team embarked on an eighteen-month journey—analysis, blending, reentry testing, gauging, finishing, re-blending, and regauging—to take the most choice barrels from their elusive aged stocks. Stillman’s Sonder is a whiskey that is polished and reimagined, crafted through generational knowledge and responsibility. From 2010 to 2016, distillation in Indiana included a series of large exploratory test runs and orphaned barrels. The Maas Family carefully collected these barrels in secret until their stocks grew and aged to a point where a 10+ year aged whiskey could be blended and produced with consistency and growth.

The 10-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey utilizes both Andean and American oak aged barrels with texture and concentration pushed through several double oaked components. Spoon proofed in barrels at times with encouraged oxidation through short fills and vatting, this is a remarkably expressive bourbon crafted through extreme care and reflection.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Milk chocolate, ripe strawberry and chai tea with a curious hint of the outdoors like a forest stream in autumn.
Taste: Sweet cream and brown sugar touched with vanilla bean. Strawberry notes transform to a more structured sweet cardamom.
Finish: What starts as sweet meets a robust wall of oak and tannin. Chocolate and berry notes prevail with an inviting, long and pleasant finish.

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich chocolate malt, vanilla, caramel, oak and a hint of black cherry.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, dark chocolate, vanilla, peanut brittle, nutmeg, strawberry and a hint of tobacco.
Finish: Moderately long with chocolate covered strawberries and oak.
Comments: Wow! I’ve had plenty of MGP bourbon (which is where this was distilled, although the finishing, re-barreling and blending was all done in Wisconsin), but this is some of the best by far. Strawberry is a note I rarely get (in fact only once before have I gotten that from a bourbon, and less than a handful of times in Scotch). The thick, richness of the nose and palate are a treat – and definitely a unique pour. While I’d love to see this with a bit more proof on it – this is one of the best new bourbon’s I’ve had in a while.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Old Grand-Dad 7 Year Bottled-In-Bond

/ / Bourbon /

Old Grand-Dad 7 Year Bottled-In-Bond
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$40
Website
Old Grand-Dad 7 Year Bottled-In-Bond
We would like to thank James B. Beam Distilling Co. and SAVONA COMMUNICATIONS for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

Released in 2025, JBBDCo. has introduced an annual expression of Old Grand-Dad® 7 Year Bonded Bourbon. Each year’s release of our high-rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey will be produced from a single distillation season in accordance with the Bottled-In-Bond Act. This year’s 2026 release highlights its distillation and barreling in the Fall of 2018. Historically inspired by vintage releases, this fine bourbon is cut to 100 proof to reach its optimal and distinctively classic OGD flavor and body. Patiently aged to a minimum of 7yrs while converging the high rye recipe bourbon drinkers know and love.

TASTING NOTES
Color: Golden with deep copper tones
Aroma: Bold caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla
Taste: Full-bodied. Sweet velvety caramel flavors with notes of charred oak and vanilla
Finish: Long lingering peppery finish
How to serve: Best served in any number of classic cocktails calling for a full and layered bourbon.

What Gary Says

Nose: Peanut brittle, vanilla, toasted oak, hint of caramel and baking spices.
Palate: Caramel, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, oak and nutmeg.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with brown sugar and baking spices.
Comments: A nice, solid, spicy bourbon. I’ve always been a fan of the Old Grand-Dad lineup, and this one sits comfortably in that wheelhouse. The extra age brings a little more oak and structure, but there’s still plenty of that familiar caramel, peanut and spice character underneath. It’s straightforward, flavorful bourbon—and sometimes that’s exactly what I’m looking for.

Rating: Stands Out

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