For the first time in over 50 years, Maker’s Mark has introduced a new bourbon. Maker’s Mark 46 is aged longer, with more oak. Nice and spicy. Still obviously MM, but different. A little more interesting. I haven’t tried it as a mixer yet, but just sipping it is wonderful. If you get a chance, give it a try.
Anybody else found something new as a tipple?
Makers 46, you say? Not yet, but I’m on it. I started the great hunt the best cheap red wine in the universe recently, and have also been generally going for liquor brands that I’ve never tried, but by now it’s hard to find brands that are both a) new to me, and b) not some stupid gimmick that I refuse to drink. I’ve found Papagayo organic rum in a liquor store kitty corner to one of the bars I go to. It’s worth trying if you find it.
Now back to Makers 46. After a long month, this past Saturday I went to the happy store, and went for some good old fashioned Elijah Craig, my one, true love. It was nothing new, but when I poured it into a glass and drank it, it felt like home. Bourbon feels like home. I’m always up for good bourbon, especially if Makers is trying something different. Did I mention I have one of these bottles at home? I know how I’m spending my weekend.
New to me at least is Redbreast Irish whisky. I’m not a huge fan of Irish whisky in general as I prefer bourbon and rye, but this one was damn good.
Mixing Maker’s Mark with any except a) More Maker’s Mark or b) spring water is nothing short of blasphemy…
It’s new to me, but Jim Beam Black is the value bourbon for me. I think the same company owns Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.
I’ve tried it, and I was unimpressed. It costs about $10 more, and merely tastes… “woodsier(?)” than normal MM. It did make a perfectly good Manhattan.
That said, I’m not exactly a Maker’s Mark fan. Don’t get me wrong: I like it fine, and I’ll drink it all day, but for drinking straight there are plenty of similarly priced* and far superior bourbons; for mixing, there are plenty of much cheaper and perfectly servicable bourbons.
*YMMV: I live in central Kentucky, ~30 miles from the Woodford Reserve distillery, which is my choice for a neat bourbon. Ancient Ancient Age is nearly as good as Maker’s, costs half as much, and mixes perfectly well.
Indeed to the above. Makers is an acceptable bourbon, but there are much better for the price. I adore Jim Beam Black. Why, I even have a Beam Black flask. Then again, I also have Makers Mark business cards with my name on them. I don’t work for them, mind you, they just sent me cards in the mail, along with other miscellanea. Yes, I do like bourbon.
I will try Makers 46 just because I think it’s fun to try new drinks, and $10 extra is hardly an ordeal.
What do you like for mixing then? Last night I was keen for an Old Fashioned, and all I had on hand was Russell’s Reserve, and I felt kind of bad mixing it. But I also don’t want to get something so cheap it messes up the flavor of the drink.
Anyway, I got some Wild Turkey American Honey. It’s like the Drambuie of bourbon. It’s OK but it is weirdly devoid of scent (other than alcohol burn), and the flavor is heavy on the sweet, light on complexity. I’ve read it’s good on vanilla ice cream though!
I got a white label bottle of MM46 back in April at the distillery’s Ambassador Day. I like it; I get a strong cinnamon note out of it.
I’m enjoying Four Roses Single Barrel lately. It’s a steal at around $30.
I like Evan Williams as the mixing bourbon.
Maker’s Mark** is** my mixing bourbon, if there is such a thing. All the rest in the cabinet are too damn good to use with a mixer like cola. But I’m putting the 46 in the sipping side of the stash. Much more there than in the regular MM, which is pretty good already.
Oh ya, Elijah Craig is just fine; little more money than J.B. Black, and I’m a max for min kind of guy.
For Mixing–especially with soda (e.g., a highball)–I like the lower-end bourbons produced by the Buffalo Trace distillery. They seem to be a bit ashamed of these, but they shouldn’t: For inexpensive bourbons they are pretty good. Ancient Ancient Age (“Triple-A”, aged 10 years) is my favorite, Ancient Age (8 years) is also pretty good, and now they have one called “Benchmark” (unspecified, so probably the minimum) which is more than palatable. I think AAA is every bit as good as MM, if not better, and certainly a hell of a lot cheaper.
I’ll also mix AAA into a Manhattan, but that’s a good use for Maker’s. As I noted, Maker’s 46 does make a damn fine one! (A friend and colleague of mine who is a native Kentuckian is, to put it mildly, a Maker’s enthusiast; in a few moments, I will leave work, walk to his house, and gladly drink his bourbon.)
For mixing, and even sipping straight, Old Crow is a perfectly fine whiskey. Yeah, it’s not going to have the character of an older bourbon, but taking it for what it is, I like it.
When you drink half bottle in a sitting, they all pretty much taste the same.
That’s how I feel about Evan Williams.
How’s the MM 46 compare to say… Elijah Craig 12, Evan Williams Single Barrel, or Blanton’s?
I know those 3 aren’t really in the same league with each other- I’m curious where the 46 would stand in a lineup with them.
(never understood the MM hype; while smooth, it always has seemed more than a touch bland. I guess I’m a fan of more rye in my bourbons than most.)
I’m a Knob Creek gal, but I like Evan too. bump, like you I don’t really care for Maker’s Mark - it’s OK, but I like others much better.
Not even close. I’d rank it similarly to Buffalo Trace.
Let’s see…I like the Craig, and I like the Williams, and I think Blanton’s is bilge water. The middle and burn on the 46 is similar to that of Buffalo Trace, but the initial flavors are a lot stronger. More vanilla, more cinnamon, more oak.
Dopers in the Los Angeles and Orange County region, where did you get your bottle of Maker’s Mark 46? I’m trying to locate the bottle as a gift and am having no luck with the local BevMo’s.
Any suggestions?
