Review of Mark’s Cask Strength Bourbon from Stable Rock Distillery

 

In Wisconsin, we have several top-notch distilleries. Some have enjoyed tremendous success, while others haven’t yet caught on.

 

If you’re familiar with Lewis Station Winery in Lake Mills, Stable Rock is its sister operation. Owned by Rob and Michelle Lewis, Stable Rock’s property is a historical landmark with a colorful past. The building, nestled against the Rock River, was erected in 1903 as the Boll’s Livery & Blacksmith Shop at 123 Milwaukee Street.

 

Stable Rock Distillery

 

In 1921, Boll bought a Ford Omnibus and ran the Jefferson Bus Line. Then, he ran an auto livery service from the property. Shortly thereafter, Boll passed away, and his son auctioned it off. It then became a Buick garage, and in 1931, AO Pop Seeds took it over until the 1960s. Afterward, it was home to several restaurants and bars before the building was abandoned and fell into disrepair in 2016. Rob and Michelle saved the building from destruction when they agreed to buy and renovate it, finally opening the Winery and Distillery on July 11, 2020.

 

Do the math, and that means that yesterday was Stable Rock’s 6th anniversary, and, conveniently, coincided with the launch of Mark’s Cask Strength Bourbon.

 

Whiskey and still names can be fun and quirky. The Bourbon’s namesake isn’t a brother, a cousin, or other family member. Mark isn’t a dog, cat, or horse. Instead, Mark is a ghost who has resided at Stable Rock for many years, likely dating back to its days as a livery.

 

They've gone looking for Mark!

According to legend, Mark has had more than his fair share of tragedy and loss. It is Rob’s and Michelle’s hope that, after Mark mingles with the angel’s share, he will find some solace, peace, and enjoyment with this Bourbon.   

 

Mark’s Cask Strength Bourbon was distilled by 45^th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond, Wisconsin. Its Master Distiller, Paul Werni, isn’t afraid to think outside the box and is very talented. Over the last decade, I’ve had many, many whiskeys distilled by 45^th Parallel, including house brands and custom, proprietary distillates such as those for J. Henry & Sons.

 

The Bourbon spent about 6.5 years in Ozark white oak before being dumped. It is a single-barrel Bourbon, packaged at 57.43% ABV (114.86°), and is only available at the distillery (and perhaps Lewis Station). A 750mL will set you back $75.00.

 

Will Mark’s Cask Strength Bourbon bring peace to Mark and allow him to rest finally? We’ll have to #DrinkCurious to find the answer. But first, I must thank Rob for providing me with a sample of this Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Rob Lewis, owner

 

• Whiskey Type: Wisconsin Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: 45^th Parallel Distillery
• Age: 6.5 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 12.5% wheat, 15% malted barley, 12.5% rye
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon medium-charred Ozark white oak barrel
• Alcohol Content: 57.43% ABV (114.86°)
• Price per 750mL: $75.00

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to try this Bourbon neat. Its butterscotch color seemed inviting, and it formed a jagged rim with thick, fast, randomly spaced tears.

 

Nose: I waited 15 minutes before interacting further. Once that time passed, I brought the glass beneath my nose and began sniffing. The first thing I smelled was a Nestle Crunch candy bar, along with brown sugar, caramel, cherries, apples, vanilla, and roasted almonds. When I took the vapor into my mouth, I tasted milk chocolate.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I experienced a creamy, full-bodied texture and a shock of cinnamon and cocoa. The second revealed what I could swear was a Nestle Crunch chocolate bar and roasted almonds on the front of my palate. The middle featured notes of caramel, vanilla, and cherries. On the back, I found flavors of brown sugar, hazelnuts, and leather.

 

Finish: After I swallowed, what was left behind included a ton of milk chocolate, along with hazelnuts, roasted almonds, caramel, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa, leather, sweet oak, brown sugar, toffee, and cherries. That list is extensive because it kept changing after each attempt to nail it down. The medium duration ran 1:13, with hazelnuts sticking around to the very end.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: My guess is that were this Bourbon served at any proof other than at cask strength, it would lose much of its magic. It drank almost a dozen points below the stated proof, making it a very easy sipper, which also makes it dangerous because you’re eventually going to want to stand up and have issues.

 

At the same time, it is definitely not a Bourbon that you want to have a complicated conversation over because there’s so much morphing and transitioning happening that you’ll lose your train of thought. Each sip was different from the previous. There were several chocolate candies floating in and out of my mind during each swallow: Nestle Crunch, Ferrero Rocher, Hershey with Almonds, and Cadbury Caramello. Was this simply Mark having a bit of fun? Who knows.

 

As I stated earlier, I’ve had many whiskeys distilled by 45^th Parallel. Today’s pour was one of those I was hesitant to taste; the aroma was so mesmerizing, and sometimes when that happens, the palate doesn’t follow suit. Incidentally, that’s something common during barrel picks. This one proved me wrong.

 

During the launch, I observed several men and women who sampled this Bourbon and commented that, despite being barrel proof, it required no water or ice. A few of them asked, “Really?” when Rob reiterated the proof.  

 

Mark’s Cask Strength Bourbon is easily the best thing that I’ve experienced out of 45^th Parallel – by far. Rob made a great choice in selecting a barrel with an unusual mashbill that could have turned out any number of ways. It is without a doubt worth the investment and earns my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.