Maker’s Mark 46

To the unfamiliar observer Maker’s Mark 46 appears to just be the next step up the line in Maker’s line up of bourbons.  While it does represent an increased cost to purchase, Maker’s 46 should be considered an extension of the standard Maker’s Mark line up, and their entry point into their wood finishing series.  Instead of changing their base recipe, 46 takes fully matured Maker’s Mark and then continues to age it with 10 virgin French Oak staves added to the barrel.  The result is Maker’s Mark, but with a French oak twist.  So is it worth the extra price?

Maker’s Mark 46

Sight:  A burnished chestnut color.

Smell:  French vanilla coffee and fresh baked pastry leads off, followed by jammy cherries.  There’s a certain amount of creaminess here that gets paired with caramelized brown sugar and notes of crème brulee. Hints of banana, leather, cigar box, and spicy oak play background.

Sip:  The sip leads of smooth and silk, but quickly becomes firm and slightly warm.  There’s a pop of smoked vanilla and latte that explodes out.  The French vanilla combines with oak and baking spice.  A lazy caramel drizzles its way through, lavishly coating things, while a slightly smoky preserved cherry hides in the background.

Savor:  The ending preserves that smoked vanilla cherry note, while adding in some toasted oak and caramelized sugar (with just a hint of charred marshmallow)

Maker’s Mark 46 is beautifully French oak polished Maker’s Mark.  There’s a lot going on here beyond the normal cherry, tobacco, and oak of ordinary Maker’s.  Specifically, it pops with French vanilla, coffee notes, and other toasted wood elements.  The addition of caramelized sugar notes bring a subtle sweetness.  Maker’s 46 is lovely on it’s own, and reasonably priced for the additional complexity.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Maker’s Mark 46 adds a variety of vanilla and caramel notes immediately out of the gate.  The vanilla almost becomes floral, like a vanilla bean.  It then balances back out, allowing touches of cherries and baking spice to join in.  Brown sugar and almond notes accentuate and have a hint of bitterness.   Texturally it’s still rich, but more balanced throughout and the ending avoids being tannic.

In Review – Maker’s Mark 46

Maker’s Mark 46 is a clearly step up and departure from its sibling.   While it does deliver additional flavor, the flavor is much more focused on the traditional vanilla notes associated with French oak influence than creating deeper version of the original Maker’s Mark.  In doing so, they’ve created a separate but related product that maintains its quality and is both a very good bourbon and great finished bourbon.  Its amazing flavor also plays well in classic cocktails and adds another dimension for crafting new items.  While it isn’t a must have for a bar, it is a must try for any fan of French oak aged wines, vanilla fans, or Maker’s Mark fans.  For only $8-10 more, it’s certainly worth a try.