Maker’s 46 Bourbon Whisky
The first new Maker’s Mark recipe for at least 50 years, Maker’s 46 is named for the number of different wood ‘recipes’ they tried before getting it right. Bottled at 47% it is matured in part in barrels containing a ‘ladder’ of toasted new French oak barrel staves to give more spice, sweetness and vanilla.
Tasting Note
Nose: Toffee sweetness and the saw dust from freshly cut wood. Has a very toasty aroma, with sweet spices and deep, thick caramel.
Palate: Creamy and very soft. Then it opens up, in fact it explodes with spiciness which concentrates on the tip of the tongue. It’s on nutmeg, mulled wine spices, allspice, cinnamon. Also a hint of hot apple juice.
Finish: A natural progression of the palate with the sweet spices and it concentrates on the tongue – this may be one of the few times you’ll notice a concentration of sweetness like this from a bourbon. It also becomes grassy after a minute or so.
Maker’s Mark 101 is the same whiskey as the original just that bottled at 101 proof, meaning that it went through less water dilution before bottling.
As a result you get most of the tasting notes, but emboldened in flavor, along a creamier texture.
The nose is subtle, with hints of toasted bread, caramel and citrus peel with very little ethanol.
On the palate, the Maker’s Mark 101 displays a good texture, fruity notes with a bit of mint at first, followed by caramel, vanilla and oak.
The finish is medium to long, fruity with hints of oak and just a whiff of pepper.
Adding water brings nutty notes, along more caramel and a leathery note.
What I find remarkable about this bourbon is how little warmth is felt despite being bottled at 101 proof. There is no noticeable heat making it a very good sipper. Order Maker’s 46 Bourbon Whisky