Mmmmmmmmmbourbon.
I'd venture a guess that using Makers will have an effect on the end result.
Makers is a "wheated" bourbon, meaning that they use wheat in the mash bill, rather than just rye and corn. This results in a sweeter bourbon requiring less time in the barrel. Many bourbons are just corn and rye, and pull the majority of their sugars from the charred and caramelized wood sugars in the interior of the barrel, which takes time.
A similarly smooth and sweet rye heavy bourbon is going to have a lot more time in the barrel than something like Maker's Mark. This is generally a financial decision for the distillery, as less barrel aging means less angel's share, and more profit per batch at a lower price point to the consumer. Win, win, and win.
In general, I prefer younger rye heavy bourbons in a sweet beverage, like a bourbon smash, old fashioned, or a mint julep. The rye adds a sort of spicy note that the sweetness of the other ingredients balances well, IMO. I do like the sweeter wheaters straight, or in something like a manhattan where there's not as much sweetness from the other ingredients.
My name is Keith, and I've got a bit of a bourbon... issue... (I'm not going to call it a problem, because I enjoy it too much.)
Bulleit, Buffalo Trace (I think), and Woodford Reserve are good middle of the road rye bourbons. Maker's, Knob Creek, basil hayden's are good middle of the road wheaters. From there you can get into stuff like Elmer T Lee, Eagle Rare, William Larue Weller, or the ever coveted Pappy Van Winkle.
