One of the more recognizable bottles of bourbon on my shelf is the Maker’s Mark bourbon. With the bright red wax closure, you can spot this bottle at a distance. Today, I want to compare the Maker’s Mark vs Maker’s 46 bourbon whiskey to see how they differ. As an adult Maker’s is my go to whiskey, and it is actually the brand that got me into whiskey in the first place. I am normally a Beer man, and on occasion I would drink some expensive Rum. I always felt whiskey was too standard for me. There’s a hint of Chai spice that I think deserves to be mentioned separately of the rest. Fruit notes are hard to find but probably would be exposed with some added water (or just buy a bottle of standard Maker’s 46). In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was passed by congress, which worsened the Great Depression according to many economists. Finish: What note would you expect to be the most dominant on the finish? If you said oak, you’re right. The finish is largely a tannin-heavy experience with tobacco leaf also joining the mix.

Allow me to pre face this review by saying that I am most certainly not a whiskey connoisseur. I won’t begin to pretend I could tell you every single nuance detail about this whisky’s flavor, Nor will I flatter myself by trying to make it sound like my palate the most refined and well trained.

In 1795, Johannes ‘Jacob’ Beam sold his first barrel of whiskey. He made it in the ‘new style’ that would eventually become known as bourbon. Other Maker’s Mark expressions — including Maker’s 46 — use additional wood staves in finishing barrels to offer additional flavor notes. These staves are placed inside the barrel and run across the diameter of the cask. Toasted French oak staves give Maker’s 46 a unique finish. Other types of wood staves are used in the Private Select single barrel program, in which customers can create their own expressions using combinations of these staves for a one-of-a-kind barrel. Price Point & Value Starting at the nose, the initial wafts coming from the two glasses are pretty similar. Both have cherries, vanilla and oak. After a while, the Maker’s 46 shows a bolder, creamy wooden note on the nose. Looking at the Maker’s Mark, the vanilla and cherries continue on the palate. Maker’s Mark though, cought my eye again at the age of 25, its Red Wax seal, its intriguing bottle design.

Both brands are produced by parent company Beam Suntory, but they are distilled and matured at entirely different facilities. As far as we can tell, production lines are completely independent for 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 Wow the wheat comes up here. Sitting side by side with the wheat are cherries, caramel, vanilla, oak and a complex nose of a pastry shop and s candy store. Very sweet nose. During one of John’s frequent travels, he managed to secure a bottle of this whiskey. And, to our delight, we’ve learned that Maker’s Mark 46 will soon be available in South Africa, making it easier to replace our beloved bottle when the time comes.In 2010, they finally released a truly new product in the form of Maker’s 46. I won’t go to bat for this release being hugely innovative or anything, but it was a good start. It was also the most economical way they could have went about making a new product too. In 2005, Allied Domecq was acquired by Pernod Ricard, who then sold the Maker’s Mark brand to Fortune Brands. There is also a heavy concentration of vanilla and toffee. The aroma of Tollhouse chocolate chips probably stems from the French Oak. Each sniff also contains some well-integrated fruit scents like fig and cherry.