Maker's Mark 46 Kentucky Bourbon Whisky, 70cl

Product Information

Introduced in 2010, Maker’s Mark 46 was the first new variant produced by the distillery since it opened. It starts off life as a typical barrel of Makers Mark but then gets a little extra special sauce. It is bottled when the tasters agree that it is ready, roughly around 6 yo. The Maker’s Mark bourbon mash bill does not include rye. Instead of rye, Maker’s Mark uses red winter wheat (16%), along with corn (70%) and malted barley (14%). The stave choices amount to 1,001 different combinations, making each retailer’s choice unique. The Maker’s Mark 46 Process Hirsch Horizon Straight Bourbon is a high-rye content bourbon that’s similar to the Maker’s Mark 46. This bourbon is oaky, nuanced, and complex. I’d highly recommend the Hirsch for any bourbon or rye drinker. It also usually costs a few dollars less than the Maker’s Mark 46!

The shape of the bottle is less squared than the Maker’s Mark original and taller. It’s more narrow at the bottom and expands slightly at the top, giving it a refreshing unique shape. The Maker’s Mark 46 bottle stands tall and is nothing short of regal. Moderate mouthfeel, sweet caramel and honey. I like how diverse the palate is - from notes of marshmallow, pepper, a touch of tobacco. Not too sweet, not too savory, not too peppery. Excerpt: The more water I added the more I enjoyed it, but I was basically working my way towards the standard release drop by drop.Even that paper label was by Margie’s design, and her vision is still used today. Originally cut by a 1935 Chandler and Price printing press, Maker’s had a replica made when the original eventually broke. The cask-strength Maker’s Mark is then stored in the Maker’s Mark limestone cellar for nine weeks with ten seared virgin French oak staves. And those staves make all the difference! The name of Maker’s Mark 46 comes from the staves that worked best in this process: “Stave Profile No. 46”. The Maker’s Mark 46 Bottle Photo by Thea Engst

Maker’s Mark has been a household name in bourbon for decades. Starting in 1953 with the husband and wife duo of Bill Samuels Senior and Margie Samuels, this tasty brand has been delivering high-quality and consistent bourbon since its iteration. Answer: I would not add a cube to the Maker’s Mark, it doesn’t need to be cooled down or to open up. A cube will dilute the Maker’s Mark and make it watery. The Maker’s Mark 46 however, definitely does well with an ice cube. I added a small cube to mine and it cooled the burn of that lingering spice I described in the tasting note Final Thoughts on Maker’s Mark vs. Maker’s Mark 46 The water used for Maker’s Mark is filtered naturally through limestone in the distillery’s own personal watershed. Rich and sweet with heaps of plump maraschino cherries, oak, vanilla and caramel. There are hints of honey and buttery cinnamon toast.Excerpt: I find none of the gritty, aluminum, aspartame notes from the standard 46 release, and this is a winner. But, I must choose! So I’m going to say that I overall prefer the Maker’s Mark because I prefer my bourbons neat and I like the way it mixed in the Old Fashioned more than I liked the Maker’s Mark 46. Initially marketed as just Maker’s 46 Maker’s Mark 46 has been a staple of the Maker’s Mark brand for over 10 years now. Originally introduced as a more premium version of the standard Maker’s Mark, the product line has gone on to see a thriving private select program, a cask strength version, and serves as the base idea for the company’s annual wood finishing series. One of the key aspects was that Maker’s Mark 46 had a different bottle design versus the standard Marker’s Mark. Taller with broader shoulders the bottle prominently stated 46 and stood out on shelves, carrying an intriguing and premium feel to it.

Samuels Senior achieved that goal by using red winter wheat in his mash bill rather than the popular choice of distiller’s rye. Rye can make the whiskey spicy and sharp, two things that Bill Samuels Senior was trying to avoid. His wife, Marjorie “Margie” Samuels, gave the whisky its name. She designed the now-classic label and came up with the red wax-dipping top that provides the bottle with its distinctive look. 1968 saw the first bottle of Maker’s Mark. It is an excellent introduction to bourbon for someone who wants to explore it American bourbon more broadly. Maker’s 46 Bourbon While one is a lovely little treat, great for after dinner, the other is more surprising, with a lot more wood notes, and overall just completely different! Truly these two bourbons are a testament to what an aging process can do to a whiskey!In the end, I wouldn’t say either of these falls short of expectations, and I can’t say enough how much I like both of them.

Maker’s Mark vs Maker’s 46 Side by Side

And of course, the bottle is sealed with that iconic red wax as well, the company does that with all their bottles, no matter the series. Excerpt: The whole experience is a little flat and short of dazzling, but fans of the Maker’s program should find it at least an enjoyable diversion. Let’s talk about the history of the distillery, which is intricately tied into the Maker’s Mark founding family: the Samuels, and what each of these two bourbons has to offer.