Makers Mark

[elderboy02]

Ok. I have never tried bourbon before. I was gifted a bottle of Makers Mark. I turn to you guys to suggest some drinks to make with it. I am new, so I don't think drinking it neat would be a great idea yet. Should I just mix it with Coke?

Thanks!

[Mr.Maduro]

Try some seltzer to start. That way you get the true taste of the bourbon, just diluted a little. The carbonation also helps bring out some underlying flavors in my opinion.

Maker's is a great starting point into the wonderful world of bourbon.

[Parshooter]

Maker's is good. A little overpriced, but the bottle looks cool. Pick up a bottle of Bulliet Bourbon. Less expensive, and I believe easier to drink. Just because you are new to bourbon, doesn't mean you can't start out drinking it the correct way: neat (or maybe with a cube or small spash).

[GTsetGO]

Makers is my favorite. love the sour mash stuff.

[STYX&STONED]

Maker's is good. A little overpriced, but the bottle looks cool. Pick up a bottle of Bulliet Bourbon. Less expensive, and I believe easier to drink. Just because you are new to bourbon, doesn't mean you can't start out drinking it the correct way: neat (or maybe with a cube or small spash).

I sure dont do it very often but, I must agree with shooter on this one!!:al

[Volt]

Ok, bourbon is like cigars... what works for one, will not work for another. But, my .02:

Makers is an excellant bourbon, a bit of bite on teh back end but smooth up fron and great flavors.

A better beginner bourbon might be Evan Williams Single Barrell - It's 10 years old, nice smokey up front taste and a slight peppery finish. Much less bite than the Makers.

As what to mix.... I don't mix good liquor. If a bourbon needs mixing, well, you might need to re-evaluate drinking it. Makers/Eavn on the rocks with a lime wedge and a robust cigar (Tat Havana VI, or other spicey cigar), no milds or they will be overwhelmed.

[chippewastud79]

Mix it with some Pepsi. Better cola :tu

[mosesbotbol]

Ok. I have never tried bourbon before... I am new, so I don't think drinking it neat would be a great idea yet.

What does "new" mean? Drink it straight, if it's too much for you, add an ice cube... If that is too much, then add some ice water. Still don't like it, use Coke the next time. Shame to use MM with Coke, but then again MM is not the most expensive stuff on the block, yet it still quite nice.

Try making a Manhattan with it also.

[elderboy02]

What does "new" mean?

New means this: The only time I have had bourbon before was when I drank some Southern Comfort warm from one of those tester bottles. Holy heck it burned. Oh, and 1 time I had a Jack and Coke that was ok.

Thanks for your tips. :) Now I have to go google what a Manhattan is.

[Parshooter]

Southern Comfort and JD are not bourbons.

[Volt]

Southern Comfort and JD are not bourbons.

:tpd: very common mistake when talking abut whiskeys. If you like JD and want to try moving up a scale, try the Gentleman Jack. It is wonderful, nothing like JD black. BTW JD Single Barell is just JD black label that you know what barrel it came from.. The twice filtered Gentleman Jack is very smoooooooooooth. Definitly only neat or over the rocks.

As your new to bourbon and maybe whiskey in general, the G JD and Even are good starter choices for easy "bite". SoCo (Southern Comfort), Rebel Yell, etc only good for mixing IMO.... A SoCo and lime is an interesting drink if you like citrus.

If you like sweet, the Canadians Mist and Crown Royal (whiskeys) are two choices. Mix the Mist and with the the Crown again, I would go neat or on the rocks for the price your gonna pay. no sense in paying money for a better bourbon/whskey to mix it in cola.... But YMMV.

[MadAl]

Maker's Mark makes an excellent Manhattan, about a half ounce of sweet vermouth, some maracchino cherry juice and a couple ounces of Maker's Mark.

[rhdad42]

I drink my Makers Mark neat, though I have been known to enjoy a MM Manhattan with my father-in-law on occasion.

[MadAl]

or as we call it on the fishing trip an m3 (mcubed)

[JohnnyFlake]

WTF, please tell me I was hallucinating, and I really did not read that Coke and Pepsi were suggested as mixers for MM!!!!

[wcktalvrg]

WTF, please tell me I was hallucinating, and I really did not read that Coke and Pepsi were suggested as mixers for MM!!!!

:r :r Ya, I couldn't picture drinking MM and Coke or Pepsi. I have only paired one thing with MM besides ice and that is Rockstar energy drink. Sounds weird but oh man does it taste good. I usually just drink it on the rocks but if I have a sweet tooth i'll grab the Rockstar. :tu

[pnoon]

:r :r Ya, I couldn't picture drinking MM and Coke or Pepsi. I have only paired one thing with MM besides ice and that is Rockstar energy drink. Sounds weird but oh man does it taste good. I usually just drink it on the rocks but if I have a sweet tooth i'll grab the Rockstar. :tu

MM w/Coke or Pepsi is bad but MM with RockStar is good?!?!?!?!

Anyone besides me see the irony here?

[Ken]

Maker's Mark makes an excellent Manhattan, .
+1 for the Manhattan. I recently came across another drink which sounded interesting so I'll try and find it.

[Volt]

MM w/Coke or Pepsi is bad but MM with RockStar is good?!?!?!?!

Anyone besides me see the irony here?


I was gonna leave it alone, but as you brought it up :tpd: what are they thinking - mixers?

[MadAl]

+1 for the Manhattan. I recently came across another drink which sounded interesting so I'll try and find it.

I had a bourbon fizz at a New Orleans style restaurant in DC. It was WAY too good.

[Lucky_Hippo]

It's your bottle bro. Drink it however makes you happiest. If you want to mix it with coke and that works for you by all means go for it. Maybe the next one try a little less coke and so on until you you've developed a taste for bourbon. Some things are an acquired taste and for a lot of people hard liquor falls into that category.


:tu

[MadAl]

If you can get Praline liqueur in your area LMK, I have a recipe...

[elderboy02]

Ok. I just tried Makers straight from the shot glass. Holy heck! It burns... how can I reduce the burning so that I can taste something?

[garyatmaui]

Bourbon is an acquired taste. If it is too strong straight or with ice you have several choices.
1. Mix it with bit of 7 up.....I know, but it works you into the bourbon
2. Splash of water or soda
3. Move to blended....Crown Royal

I have mine, most any bourbon:D mixed with ice. I am drinking more Evan Williams lately. Enjoyable

Ok. I just tried Makers straight from the shot glass. Holy heck! It burns... how can I reduce the burning so that I can taste something?

[Don Fernando]

:BTW JD Single Barell is just JD black label that you know what barrel it came from..

but yet, it tastes different, smoother and richer.

[BengalMan]

Throw it out and drink a good bourbon. :) Check out the bourbon thread for some suggestions.

[BengalMan]

Ok. I just tried Makers straight from the shot glass. Holy heck! It burns... how can I reduce the burning so that I can taste something?

Your drinking an 80+ proof liquor that isn't diluted with water after the pour, what did you expect? lol

Like I said, if your looking for a smooth flavorful bourbon, Makers Mark isn't a good choice.

As far as the burn goes, you'll get used to it. I was recently at a bourbon sampling with over 300 bottles open on a table up for tasting. From 80 proof up to 144 proof. Not one time did anyone use ice starting out. A few times on the Stagg was some water added to cut it down to help bring out other flavors and nuances, but for the most part, it was all drank straight up.

Granted, these were all seasoned bourbon drinkers (I couldn't hold a candle to these guys when it came to bourbon, everything was right over my head for the most part), but it shows that once you've acquired the taste, that's the way to go. If you just drinking it to guzzle it down and get a buzz, then Makers or Beam with a bunch of ice and coke is the way to go.

Check out the bourbon thread, pick up a few better bourbons and start out by added a few ice cubes, swishing it around and letting it melt a bit. As the days go on, slowly begin removing ice cubes until your drinking it straight up.

[elderboy02]

Your drinking an 80+ proof liquor that isn't diluted with water after the pour, what did you expect? lol

Like I said, if your looking for a smooth flavorful bourbon, Makers Mark isn't a good choice.

As far as the burn goes, you'll get used to it. I was recently at a bourbon sampling with over 300 bottles open on a table up for tasting. From 80 proof up to 144 proof. Not one time did anyone use ice starting out. A few times on the Stagg was some water added to cut it down to help bring out other flavors and nuances, but for the most part, it was all drank straight up.

Granted, these were all seasoned bourbon drinkers (I couldn't hold a candle to these guys when it came to bourbon, everything was right over my head for the most part), but it shows that once you've acquired the taste, that's the way to go. If you just drinking it to guzzle it down and get a buzz, then Makers or Beam with a bunch of ice and coke is the way to go.

Check out the bourbon thread, pick up a few better bourbons and start out by added a few ice cubes, swishing it around and letting it melt a bit. As the days go on, slowly begin removing ice cubes until your drinking it straight up.

Thank you sir for the advice!

[blugill]

That's how I learned to drink Scotch. To start I found a lighter tasting Scotch so I went with the Glenlivet. That is pretty much a starter Scotch.

Started with nine parts water to one part Scotch and over a few weeks gradually worked it on down until I found the right combination that worked for me.

Now I can tackle a far more complex drink straight if I wanted to but to me it isn't as enjoyable as it is with my combination of ice and spring water. It isn't much but I do find that it brings out more taste. I know it sounds weird but it works on my palate.