Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength Bourbon

Maker's Mark 46 was the first bourbon I reviewed for The Blundon Bourbon Review! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and was ecstatic when I heard they were making a cask strength version. This is currently only available in the Distillery gift shop, however, it will no doubt follow suit and get released nationally within the months to come. The process for 46 includes adding French oak staves into the barrel before aging for an additional 10x weeks. This is done only during the winter months (less interaction with the barrel), which adds a sweet complexity not found in the regular Maker's Mark bourbon.

Details:

Finished with Oak Staves
No Age Statement
110.8 proof
$40 / 375ml

Nose: Up front lays an intense, sweet spice. Red hot candies and cinnamon. It opens into waves of sweetness; lots of maple! Coffee ice cream, butter, and cherries combine for a mouthwatering aroma.

Taste: This first expresses itself as an extremely sweet bourbon with maple, butterscotch, and bubblegum...then comes the spice! The thick mouth feel prolongs bold flavors of tobacco, red hots, and cinnamon.

Finish: Long and complex with a nice balance of sweet and spice. Butterscotch, cinnamon, and tobacco linger for a delicious finish.

 Conclusion: Even as a cask strength expression, this is more robust than I anticipated. It has the most kick out of any Maker's Mark bourbons; while its more on the sweeter side, if you are a fan of the brand, you will enjoy this. I look forward to buying a 750ml when it's released nationally.

My Rating:  B+ (Very Good)

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