Whiskey Review: Maker’s Mark 46: French Oaked Bourbon

Introduction Today, we’re reviewing Maker’s Mark 46 , a French-oaked bourbon that first hit shelves in 2010. When we first tried it in 2019, we both assumed this label had been around much longer, but it turns out it was only a decade old at that point. Maker’s Mark, of course, is one of the world’s best-selling wheated bourbons. In a wheated mash bill, wheat takes the place of rye as the secondary grain after corn, typically producing a softer nose and sweeter profile. We almost always find cherry notes in wheated bourbons, and even after all the whiskeys we’ve reviewed, this remains one of our favorite categories. Maker’s 46 starts out as standard Maker’s Mark—made in batches of less than 1,000 gallons—before being finished with ten heavily seared French oak staves inserted into the barrel. The whiskey is then aged for an additional two to three months. This finishing technique adds depth and a distinct oak character. Mash bill: 7

by Robert Book and Bradley Paul Gee · source ↗