This Beloved Maker’s Mark Whiskey Is Back

Cocktail enthusiasts and old fashioned-lovers alike can breathe a sweet sigh of relief and rejoice together with the announcement that one of the country’s most coveted bourbons has once again come through for whiskey aficionados. That’s right, for the fourth year in a row, Maker’s Mark is releasing a new blend of its “Cellar Aged” Whiskey.

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With each year that Maker’s Mark releases this fan-favorite whiskey, the company sets out to make something that’s not only better than ever, but true to the flavors and drinking qualities that define the brand’s unique bourbons. But what makes this whiskey any different from a regular batch of Maker’s Mark, and how does this year’s blend differ from past years? Well, that’s what we’re here for. Let’s break it down together and see if this is the whiskey we’ll be reaching for to fill our glasses in the season to come.

Classic Vs. Cellar Aged — What’s The Difference?

For anyone unfamiliar with the aging process of Maker’s Mark whiskey, it is traditionally made from distilled corn, red winter wheat, and malted barley and aged in barrels in a warehouse. The trademark flavor of Maker’s Mark in part comes from rotating its barrels throughout the aging process. This is a process that is maintained across all of its bourbons.

Where the “Cellar Aged” bottles differ is at the seven to nine year aging mark. At this point, select bottles are placed in a LEED-certified limestone cellar in the Kentucky hills. This change of environment to finish the aging process allows the whiskey to age more slowly, maintaining the approachability and sweet characteristics that the Maker’s Mark label is known for, whilst increasing the depth of flavor without taking on all of the woodiness of the barrel’s inherent flavors.

Is It Different Than Last Year’s?

Actually, yes! Each year of the “Cellar Aged” collections’ launch is markedly different from the last as they blend the bottles using different percentages of aged bourbon each year. A long tasting process, filled with encouraged debate, allows the company to determine which blend best represents the trademark Maker’s Mark flavor profile.

This year’s blend is unique in the sense that it has the highest percentage of their longest age whiskey in the mix to date. Their longest age whiskey in the blend is the 14-year aged bourbon, of which each bottle contains 18% of — 2% higher than the 2025 blend. The remainder of the bottle is comprised of impressively aged bourbon as well, though. 33% of the bottle is made up of 12-year aged bourbon, and the remaining 49% is 11-year aged bourbon. Altogether, they’ve created what the company is saying demonstrates the artistry of Makers’ blending.

Each bottle of the deeply flavored, and yet not-at-all bitter, whiskey comes in at around $175. But, they’re not going to be on shelves in abundance either. These distinctly limited-batch, cask-strength bottles are hitting shelves on September 1st. So act quick if this innovation from Maker’s Mark is bound to excite your palate.