Review #593 - Maker's Mark Limited Edition (Gold Wax, Early 1990s)
This gold wax-adorned bottle of Maker's Mark was produced in the 1990s; almost all of the production of this limited edition was made for export markets, specifically Japan. There isn't a lot of specific information on the bottle's labels or online - this does use Maker's Mark's usual wheated bourbon mashbill, but there's no age statement or other identifying information.
We do get an elevated proof point, however: 101 proof, or 50.5% ABV, as opposed to the usual 90 proof (45% ABV). There are also rumors that this gold wax version contained older barrels on average than typical Maker's Mark products, and it was made in an era of different grain quality and oak quality when compared to modern whisky. How will those factors influence the flavor of this bourbon?
Maker's Mark Limited Edition (Gold Wax, Early 1990s)
USA - Bourbon
Available Price: USD 465 (2025, based on recent auction results)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 50.5% ABV
Details: Bottled early 1990s
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 10% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Lactic and funky up front - almost a bit of a hard cheese note, like Parmesan? Then soft grain notes and brown sugar mingle, as well as some creamy vanilla. Time brings more oak, but it's relatively soft; this is a little savory at times, and we get a dry hay note, too.
Palate: Tons of brown sugar and a moderate level of oak to start; that's followed by hints of cherry. It's sweet and relatively mellow, but it has nice depth; graham crackers, honey, and vanilla build in strength. The mouthfeel has a medium thickness.
Finish: Sweet grains - wheat and corn - this is quite grain-forward in the finish, but in a good way. Golden Grahams cereal, honey, and some leathery oak... it's nicely balanced.
Final Note: This has more depth than the modern versions of Maker's Mark that we've tried, and the nose especially held some unexpected flavors. Those funky, possibly fermentation-related notes aren't found too often in bourbon, and it was a treat to smell them; they were lost on the palate, but it still contained nice fruit flavors and some baking spices. A good bourbon, one with a profile that we don't see too often now.
Onto value - because this is an older limited bottling, it's quite hard to find these days. Auctions prices over the last year ranged from around $350 to $650; we settled on a review price somewhere in the middle. At these sorts of prices, value isn't good, even if it's fun to taste some history.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating (Available Price): 3.61
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
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