Maker's Mark 101 is a higher-proof expression of the wheated bourbon recipe that made the Loretto, Kentucky distillery famous. It was for years a travel-retail exclusive before finding wider release, and it sits above the standard 90 proof Maker's and below the uncut Cask Strength in the core range.
The mashbill is the familiar Maker's formula — corn, soft red winter wheat and malted barley, with wheat standing in for the rye that most Kentucky bourbons use as their flavour grain. This choice, made by Bill Samuels Sr. in the 1950s and guided in part by his friend and mentor Pappy Van Winkle, gives the whole Maker's range its characteristic softness. Bottling at 101 proof rather than the standard 90 lets more of that character reach the glass without shouting over it.
The nose is warm vanilla, red apple and soft caramel, with a cinnamon dusting from the oak. The palate is round and creamy — honey, buttered biscuit, ripe cherry and a gentle nutmeg warmth — entirely free of the aggressive rye pepper that defines most high-proof bourbons. The finish is medium-long, sweet and soft, fading on vanilla and baking spice.
For drinkers who find the standard Maker's a touch too gentle and the Cask Strength a touch too fierce, 101 lands in the exact middle. It is a thoughtful release from a distillery that has resisted the temptation to dilute its identity with endless line extensions, and it rewards a return visit.
