Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky

Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky was my first “go-to” bourbon when I first started drinking bourbon whiskey.  The smooth-sweetness of Maker’s Mark bourbon whisky was interesting yet very GOOD. In addition, it didn’t possess that burn you would expect from some North American whiskies.

Since I wasn’t an “expert” whiskey drinker at the time, I didn’t know what to expect; however, as time passed, my palate slowly started to develop, and I was sampling different whiskies from all directions and sourced from other countries.

I knew eventually it would be time to return to the bourbon whiskey I started with Maker’s Mark Bourbon whisky.  Well, the right moment made itself known while “researching” a cigar to pair with a whisky.

Whiskey and cigars

Anyway, I was shopping around for cigars through my Thompson Cigar catalog, and I noticed the “Maker’s Mark 650 Sumatra cigar.  I was happy or ecstatic or maybe surprised to find cigars that had been seasoned with Maker’s Mark bourbon whisky.

My discovery of the cigars was the good part; the not-so-good part is that I didn’t have the funds, money, or dough to place the order on the cigars.  So, I had to do some searching around till I came across the Maker’s Mark 650 Sumatra cigar.

I made my purchase and looked forward to sampling the cigar with my Maker’s Mark Bourbon whisky.  You can read the results of the pairing over at LoversofWhisky.com.  By the way, the tasting notes I provided below will show why the whisky and cigar with so well together.

After about a 4-5 year remission, I picked up a bottle from Total Wines and More for around $23.00 for 750 ml size and decided to wait for the right moment to give it a little taste.  I had a great time discovering the different aromas and flavors embedded in the whisky.

If you are new to drinking bourbon or any particular North American whiskey, I recommend our aroma/tasting notes.

Whiskey Tasting Notes

Color:  Honey or amber

Nose/Aroma:  Vanilla, spicy, warm spring, sweet-burnt orange, woody from an old-settled cask, wheat

Palate/Taste:  Spicy, sweetness like honey, fermented grapes or sherry; dry-sweet wheat

Finish:  Spicy but lingers with a gripping hold on the tongue, and then it eventually dissipates to a sweet wheat taste.

Pairing Suggestions

I would suggest sirloin or tenderloin beef steak as a portion of great food to pair with bourbon whiskey.  You will need to have a sturdy cut of meat to hold up to the whiskey.

If you create a marinade that calls for bourbon whiskey, I recommend only marinading the beef for about two hours.  Another suggestion would be that baby back ribs, brisket, or pork shoulder would also be great meats to marinate or have alongside the Maker’s Mark Bourbon whiskey.

Closing comments

I leave it to you to decide how you paired the Maker’s Mark with the cigar or food.  I figured life is too short not to experiment with whisky and food, so give it a go and let us know how everything turns out.  We look forward to your comments on the whiskey, cigar, and barbecue or even just the whiskey and cigar pairing.