Distillery: Maker’s Mark
Proof: 94
Age: No Age Statement (~6 Years)
Mashbill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
Price: $40-$45
Company
Maker’s Mark is one of the most iconic bourbon brands out there. They’re known best for their red wax and quality bourbon that “won’t blow your ears off” (quote from founder, Bill Samuels, Sr).
Production
Maker’s 46 is the standard Maker’s Mark expression with a unique twist—it’s aged for 9 additional weeks with heavily seared French Oak staves. The result, as their site puts it, is a bolder and more complex version of the Maker’s Mark flavor profile without the bitterness typical of longer-aged whiskies.
Nose – 95/100
The nose is rich with standard Maker’s notes like vanilla, caramel, and oak, but with a faint hint of dark chocolate.
Palate – 95/100
The palate is rich and creamy with notes of oak, dark chocolate, and cinnamon. It’s not as deep as the nose would indicate, but it’s still soft and well-balanced.
Finish – 92/100
The finish starts out super spicy but quickly fades into oak, leather, and a hint of dark chocolate.
Value – 99/100
The value here is amazing in my opinion. You’re getting an enhanced version of the Maker’s Mark flavor profile for around $40. It’s unique enough to warrant the higher price point and it can stand toe-to-toe with just about any bourbon out there.
Verdict – 95.25/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.