Wow. That name is a mouthful and we haven’t even taken a sip! Let’s take a step back and simply call this one “RC6”, okay? What exactly does that mean? It refers to the specification of wood staves specifically utilized to create the finish on this release. RC6 starts its life the same as any other Maker’s Mark, being a small batch wheated bourbon, but then some additional magic happens. 10 specially chosen virgin American Oak staves (profile RC6!), seasoned outdoors for 18 months before being toasted in an oven, are then added to each of the 255 barrels that comprise the 2019 release. These finishing staves add an additional warmth and complexity to the bourbon and the results speak for themselves. Let’s get to it!

Experience Notes

Whiskey Type: Bourbon

Proof & Age: 108.2 Proof (Cask Strength) / No Age Statement (Believed to be around 6 Years + 2-3 additional months with finishing staves.)

Mashbill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley

Color: 1.5 (Auburn, Polished Mahogany)

Price: $59.99 (MSRP) at Pennsylvania Fine Wines & Good Spirits

Nose: Sweet brown sugars, carmelized oak, dried dark fruits, and an noticeable ethanol presence that does fade as you allow the dram to breathe a bit. It’s a classic Maker’s Mark, but is much more welcoming and calls you back for another take.

Palate: A classicly wheated bourbon with added complexities of wonderfully toasted oak, brown sugars, cherries, raisins, and baking spice. It’s very well balanced allowing the cask strength to bring forth all the flavors to their full effect.

Finish: Lingering heat that I can honestly describe as sitting in a high-backed leather chair in a smoking jacket, feeling sophisticated. Leather, oak, and tobacco all bundled into a smooth, sweet goodbye.

Thoughts, Comments, & Smart Remarks

Maybe it’s lame to say in the current bourbon craze, but I’ve always enjoyed Marker’s Mark. I rarely order one anymore as there are so many options out there to try, but it’s still a solid bourbon to me. I’m sure it helps that I’m definitely a fan of wheated bourbons in general. With that said, RC6 takes that appreciation and amplifies it into something I truly enjoyed. Being into cask strength whiskies, I got as much enjoyment out of this as any of the other wheated limited releases of 2019. I won’t go out and say it’s better than anything that might start with a “W” and be of the cask strength variety, but for the price and availability, it definitely stands its ground. I hope Marker’s is setting a precedent with this release and that we can anticipate annual enjoyment in the years to come.

Peated’s Grade: 8.2/10