Today, we are tasting a spin on an iconic Bourbon, Maker’s Mark, and that is Maker’s Mark 46, which used to be called just Maker’s 46. In fact, not only have they added Mark to the label, but also added Bill’s recipe. The bottle was also changed from the taller, more elegant corked one to the shorter, squat one that matches all the rest of the Maker’s expressions, but with a screw top. Not sure why they added Bill’s recipe, we assume this is referring to Bill Samuels Sr, who first distilled Maker’s or his son Bill Jr who took over for his dad. Maker’s 46, along with Woodford Double Oak, was one of the first distilleries to add extra aging in a different environment. In 46’s case, they take regular Maker’s Mark and age it longer with seared French oak staves.
Maker’s Mark 46 is 94 proof, aged around 6 years, sells for around $40, and has a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. It can be found just about anywhere spirits are sold.
We were big fans of 46 when it came in the taller bottle, and while they insist the juice hasn’t changed, it still takes something away from the experience. It has been a while since any of us have had 46, will it hold up to our found memories? We will see.
NOSE
TB: Nice nose of traditional Bourbon aromas with vanilla and caramel coming in the form of an almost ice cream-like scent or cream brulé. Also getting some oak, warm bread, and some corn. Lastly, is a bit of orange and cinnamon. Ice brings our just a slight bit more fruit.
TASTE
TB: Not quite as sweet as the nose implied it might be. Still getting the oak, corn, and bread, but the sweetness, vanilla, and caramel is now more of a secondary flavor. Picking up some apple as well. Ice added a little more of a grain taste.
FINISH
TB: Medium that seems sweet at first and then has a bit of bitterness.
OVERALL
TB: Definitely an upgrade on the standard Maker’s Mark. Decent value at $40.
Nose 4 out of 5
Taste 6.5 out of 10
Finish 3.5 out of 5
Total score 14 out of 20 barrels.
We know they say that they didn’t change anything but the bottle, but we all could swear we liked the older, taller bottle of Maker’s 46 better than we liked this stuff. Surely, the better-looking bottle doesn’t have that kind of effect. Maybe our tastes have changed. The nose was good, but we all remembered the taste as being a bit smoother with more caramel, vanilla, and honey. We still got some of those, but not to the level we expected. Also, what’s with the screw top?
In the end, despite the letdown, Maker’s Mark 46 is a good Bourbon for the price. A wheated Bourbon, 6 years old, with some extra aging, that combo is hard to find at $40.