Maker’s Mark 46® Unveils New Bottle | Kentucky Bourbon Trail (2024)

FAQs

Does Makers 46 have a new bottle? ›

The new Maker's 46 bottle design includes elements from the original with a new label, including the topper hand-dipped in red wax. Will the old bottles become collectors' items? With Maker's Mark, it's possible. Hundreds of thousands of special releases with commemorative labels are.

While the bourbon inside the bottle remains the same, the new bottle design reinforces consistency of the brand's visual identity and more tangibly brings to life its premium legacy.

As noted in the Maker's materials, 46 starts with fully mature whiskey (likely about eight years old), so this is less about cutting corners than looking for a bit of extra “oomph.” We'll see if the French oak staves are able to deliver on this promise.

There are 2 main differences between Maker's 46 and Maker's Mark. The first is that the 46 is aged longer which mellows it out more while adding more flavor. The second is that seared French oak staves are seeped in the bourbon towards the end of it's additional aging process bringing out some even more flavors.

Unopened liquor has an indefinite shelf life. Opened liquor lasts about a year or two before it goes bad, meaning it starts losing its color and flavor.

The result is an easy-to-sip bourbon with notes of caramel, vanilla and baking spice that greet the palate in layers. Capturing the 46 taste vision took some doing.

Most bottle manufacturers molded the year into the glass at the bottom of the bottle in 2-digit format. You'll often find it in the lower right portion when looking at the bottom (some dates are much easier to distinguish than others). This will usually tell you–within a year or two–when the whiskey was bottled.

Maker's 46 Background

The staves are “seared” or heavily toasted and not charred. Treatment of the staves is called Profile 46, which is where we get the Maker's 46 name. The goal here for Maker's Mark was to make a unique product without negatively disrupting an already stressed Maker's Mark inventory.

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.

Is Maker's Mark 46 good old fashioned? ›

Maker's Mark can make for a very special Old Fashioned. I personally love using bourbon instead of rye, and as a wheated bourbon, Maker's is particularly sweet and rich. We made these co*cktails with Maker's 46, a special bottle from Maker's Mark that is aged for 2-3 more months with additional French oak staves.

The first bottle of Maker's Mark was bottled and hand dipped on 8 May 1958 and they are still hand-dipped to this day.

What is the best way to drink Maker's Mark? Maker's Mark is best to drink neat or over ice. Its sweet aroma, hints of caramel, and vanilla are noticeable when you drink it neat. Also, it's good over ice, just a cube or two, because too much ice can destroy its subtle flavor profile.

If you don't want to go down that route, you can drink the Maker's 46 neat on the rocks, the way it is intended. You will find that it is very drinkable, and it's a whiskey type that you can enjoy this way every night if you so choose.

Other well known wheated bourbons include the “Pappy” line of bourbons, the “Weller” line of bourbons, and Larceny. I enjoy Maker's Mark, giving the regular version a “Mid Shelf” rating and this batch of cask strength a “Top Shelf” rating.

The red wax resting on the top of every bottle of Maker's is a time-honored tradition that dates back to 1958 and the very first bottle the distillery ever sold. The idea came from Margie Samuels who founded the distillery with her husband.

Can You Get Sick from Drinking Old Whiskey? If you found an old bottle of whiskey in the back of a liquor cabinet and want to give it a try, have no fear: In general, old liquor will not make you sick like other expired items. The only risk it poses is delivering a dull taste and underwhelming drinking experience.

Don't Freeze It

Keeping any spirit in the freezer won't permanently harm it, but it will dull the flavors if you pull the bottle out and immediately pour a glass.

50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.

Not really. While the flavours may change slightly, whiskies don't go off the way other alcohol does. Once new air reacts with the liquid in the bottle, it begins to oxidise the whisky. However, this doesn't mean the flavour will be hindered straightaway.

Is it real wax on Maker's Mark bottles? ›

Wax. Similar to how it was in Margie's kitchen all those years ago, Maker's Mark is hand-dipped in 400-degree red wax.

Take a dip

A visit to the distillery isn't complete without a turn at our dipping station. When you purchase any undipped bottle, you can try your hand at dunking your one-of-a-kind souvenir into Maker's^® red wax.

Not all American whiskeys use the 'e' however. Of the major brands, Maker's Mark and George Dickel refrain from using the standard American spelling. In Maker's case, this was as a tribute to the Samuels family's Scots-Irish ancestors.

The drink commonly served is bourbon whiskey, which is a type of American whiskey made from corn and aged in charred oak barrels. Some of the best-known bourbons include Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, and Knob Creek.

Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength initially gives-off piney and grassy maple syrup, milk chocolate, malt milk balls, vanilla, dried orange, ripe apple, cinnamon, clove, toasted oak, and just a little nuttiness. The piney and grassy dark sweetness are signature Maker's Mark notes.

This 100-Year-Old Bottle of Whiskey Can Be Yours for Just $17,000.

Which Maker's Mark bottle is rare? Maker's Mark 101 bottle is rare because they offer this bottle release for a limited time. But its wood finishing series are also becoming rare because of the limited number of bottles released.

In most cases, one- or two-digit numbers are actually mold numbers that indicate the specific bottle mold or section in an automatic bottle machine. If numerous molds were identical, each one received its own number. Base numbers also indicate bottle styles or shapes, manufacturing dates, or factory location codes.

To this day, Maker's Mark is made with winter wheat, along with corn and malted barley (to be considered bourbon, a whiskey must contain at least 51% corn in the mash. Maker's Mark contains 70%).

Maker's Mark is the least expensive, smoothest whiskey/bourbon around. I've tried many higher priced offerings and I've decided Maker's Mark is as good if not better than all of them. It's good for sipping but makes a great old fashioned.

How strong is Maker's 46? ›

Summary – I really enjoy Maker's Mark 46. It's all around a great Bourbon. It has wonderful oak notes on the nose, very clean, sweet and oak palate, and the finish is subtle. This pour is 94 proof, but doesn't burn much at all.

A house key can pry off a cap

Grip the neck of the bottle and position the ridged side of the key sideways under the cap. Move the key back and forth until you pry the cap off.

For a whiskey as well-made, popular, and high quality as Maker's Mark, it remains very much affordable. According to Wine Searcher, the average price of a 750 mL bottle of Maker's Mark is $30. There are quality bourbons that are less expensive, but not many.

Maker's Mark

Aside from its trademark-hand dipped wax- Maker's Mark expressions are top-shelf whiskeys best enjoyed neat and on the rocks.

Never bitter or sharp, Maker's Mark^® is made with soft red winter wheat, instead of the usual rye, for a one-of-a-kind, full-flavored bourbon that's easy to drink. To ensure consistency, we rotate every barrel by hand and age our bourbon to taste, not time.

The 46 variation of Maker's Mark is a departure from that mold in an unfortunate way, in that it's much closer to a traditional bourbon bottle. There's a round body, gently curved shoulder, and short neck topped by a cork stopper. The whole neck is dipped and sealed in red wax.

Making Maker's Mark® Cask Strength

While the higher proof delivers a bold bourbon presence in co*cktails, we recommend drinking this surprisingly smooth barrel-proof whisky neat, on the rocks or with a splash.

Bourbon does not expire, as long as it remains unopened. A correctly stored bottle can last decades as long as it's kept away from heat and light. If you have an opened bottle of bourbon its shelf life is about 3-6 months before it will start to lose quality and flavor.

While all whiskeys are made from a fermented mash of grains, bourbon is predominantly made from corn (more on that later). And within the category of bourbon, you have lots of producers to choose from.

Does Maker's Mark get better with age? ›

No, Maker's Mark bourbon does not get better with age because it is bottled at a cask strength of 90 proof (45% ABV), meaning that it is ready to drink upon purchase.

46". Bill Samuels, Jr., followed his taste vision and discovered a unique finishing process that adds new dimensions and rich layers to bourbon. Maker's Mark 46 is bottled at 94 proof, helping those elevated notes of vanilla and caramel really stand up in co*cktails.

Maker's Mark is a great addition to cola, because it features a wheat-heavy grain recipe that is sweeter than many other bourbons on the market. To make one for yourself, aim for about a 3:1 ratio of Makers to co*ke and serve your drink on the rocks.

Making Maker's Mark 46® Uniquely finished to deliver a more elevated experience, Maker's 46^® is aged longer with special seared French oak staves. With subtly layered bourbon notes and balanced complexity, 46 is the legacy of Bill Samuels, Jr., son of Maker's Mark^® founders Bill and Margie.

Maker's Mark 46 is aged slightly differently than standard Maker's Mark because there are French oak staves on barrels of Maker's Mark 46 for a unique finish. In addition, Maker's Mark 46 boasts higher alcohol content than the standard Maker's Mark bourbon whisky.

Most bottle manufacturers molded the year into the glass at the bottom of the bottle in 2-digit format. You'll often find it in the lower right portion when looking at the bottom (some dates are much easier to distinguish than others). This will usually tell you–within a year or two–when the whiskey was bottled.

Not really. While the flavours may change slightly, whiskies don't go off the way other alcohol does. Once new air reacts with the liquid in the bottle, it begins to oxidise the whisky. However, this doesn't mean the flavour will be hindered straightaway.

One shortcut the bourbon maker refuses to accept, Rob Samuels said, is trimming the aging process, which would increase market supplies. It also won't buy surplus whiskey from other distilleries, he said. The supply shortage at Maker's comes amid growing demand for Kentucky bourbons in general.

Maker's 46 Background

The staves are “seared” or heavily toasted and not charred. Treatment of the staves is called Profile 46, which is where we get the Maker's 46 name. The goal here for Maker's Mark was to make a unique product without negatively disrupting an already stressed Maker's Mark inventory.

Just take a bourbon quiz on Maker's Mark's website, and if you're knowledgeable enough, they'll send you a welcome kit and put your name on a barrel as part of the program. The welcome kit includes an Ambassador certificate with a seal in the bourbon's signature red wax.