Maker’s Mark surprised many whiskey fans in 2023 with the introduction of Cellar Aged, an annual, age-stated brand extension. This inaugural release featured the distillery’s most mature barrels released to the public, comprised of 11- and 12-year barrels. For the most part, people reacted with excitement, but that’s not to say there weren’t detractors. Some individuals scoffed at the relatively steep MSRP of $150, especially considering Maker’s Mark didn’t previously dip into the realm of triple-digit price tags. Others also expressed frustration with the workaround Maker’s took for maturing Cellar Aged.

A huge sticking point for the distillery has been the adherence to a “flavor vision,” specifically with regards to how much oak (tannin) influence comes through in the whisky. Maker’s age their whisky “to taste,” with the typical range hovering between five and seven years. Yet the team isn’t blind to consumer demands, so they figured out a way to give people what they wanted (an older Maker’s Mark product) while sticking to the brand’s established philosophy. The first half of the maturation period played out like normal in the above-ground rickhouses; the second half took place in the underground, LEED-certified limestone cellar. This cellar is also where the barrels chosen for Private Selections and Wood Finishing Series releases go to finish.

This approach rubbed some folks the wrong way, since it meant less oak influence would appear in the final product compared to aging entirely in a traditional rickhouse. Even as someone who holds the 2023 Cellar Aged in particularly high regard, I’ll admit that I still found myself yearning for a Maker’s product that bypassed the cellar aging process. To be clear, I think both can exist in tandem and would encourage Maker’s Mark to make this a reality, perhaps along the lines of the DNA Project?

Regardless of what the future holds for Maker’s Mark, it appears Cellar Aged is here to stay, as they followed up the 2023 release with an older iteration in 2024. This one consists of an 85/15 blend of 13-year and 12-year barrels, respectively, while the bumping the ABV to 59.7% ABV. Does it end up being a sophomore slump?

Nose: Caramel, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Dried Apricot

Floral, Syrupy, Cohesive

Palate: Tobacco, Lychee, Vanilla, Macadamia

Spicy, Dusty, Waxy

Finish: Dried Apricot, Tobacco, Clove, Hazelnut

Full, Lightly Drying, Long

Before I reviewed whiskey for fun, I’d occasionally write reviews for movies, videogames, and metal albums. I mention this because the idea of a “sophomore slump” applies to many fields, including whiskey. Some speculate that the first batch of a product, particularly an LTO from an established brand, is oftentimes the best, which can be for any number of reasons. My gathering of the second Cellar Aged release has been that many (not all) people might consider it a sophomore slump. And while I agree that its predecessor is superior, I think the 2024 version is a worthy follow-up.

What struck me about the first Cellar Aged was how well it balanced fruit, floral, and even some barrel spice notes. Everything came together to create a complex and borderline sublime pour that I’ve started nursing as my bottle gets progressively emptier. Where the 2024 Cellar Aged slips most is more of a profile preference: we get far less fruit in exchange for more tobacco, baking spice, and general “waxiness,” for lack of a better word. Although I could see some being disappointed by this, what remains is still an enjoyable, high-quality product, which makes the profile shift easier to roll with. If the first two Cellar Aged releases are anything to go off of, then I look forward to eventually trying the 2025 version.