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Maker's Mark Maker's 46

woody malty
4.1
(7)€43United States, Kentucky, Bourbon

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

Bill Samuels Jr. wanted something different from the family distillery. He took fully matured Maker's Mark and fitted ten seared French oak staves into the barrel. The whisky rested in the limestone cellar for weeks, drawing caramel and baking spice from the wood. The staves were numbered 46 by the Independent Stave Company. That became the name. You taste layers: vanilla unfolds first, then cinnamon and butterscotch build. The honeycomb sweetness comes from the wheat in the mash bill. Pour it neat to catch every layer.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Maker's Mark

In 1953, Bill Samuels Sr. bought an old distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, and burned his family's 170-year-old bourbon recipe. He wanted something softer, without the bitter edge that many bourbons had back then. To find a new mash bill, he baked loaves of bread using different grain recipes and tasted each one. The loaf made with red winter wheat instead of rye won, and that recipe became Maker's Mark. The wheat gives the bourbon a softer, sweeter character than rye-based whiskies usually have. His wife, Margie, named the brand and designed the bottle, including the red wax seal that is still applied by hand at the distillery. The building is now a National Historic Landmark, a rare honor for a working bourbon distillery.

3.9Average rating

7Whiskies on Distilld

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Kentucky

Most popular whiskies from Maker's Mark

About the Maker's Mark Maker's 46

Maker's Mark Maker's 46 is a wheated bourbon from the United States. It is crafted at the historic Star Hill Farm distillery in Kentucky. This expression represents the first major innovation from Maker's Mark since the original bourbon launched in 1958. The production begins with fully matured cask strength Maker's Mark bourbon. Ten seared French oak staves are fitted into the barrel. The whisky then undergoes additional finishing in the distillery's limestone cellar. This unique process imparts complex layers of caramel, vanilla, and baking spice. Maker's Mark uses soft red winter wheat instead of rye in their mash bill. That creates the honeycomb sweetness that defines their house character. The French oak finishing adds notes of cinnamon, butterscotch, and dried fruit. Oak and char notes build through the finish. At 47% ABV, Maker's Mark Maker's 46 delivers balanced complexity. Apple and grape fruit notes appear alongside citrus brightness. Bread and malty grain undertones support the sweeter top notes. Lemon zest and pepper add a gentle spice edge. Floral spearmint hints keep the profile fresh. Oaky char and honeycomb sweetness define the lasting finish. The wheated mash bill keeps the spice approachable throughout. Bill Samuels Jr. designed it as his personal signature bourbon. This bourbon drinks beautifully neat. It bridges familiar wheated bourbon comfort with a more layered and spice-forward oak profile. Each layer unfolds on the tongue in sequence. The limestone cellar finishing ensures the oak integration remains subtle yet profound. It suits whisky drinkers seeking elevated flavour without harsh edges.