Maker's Mark 46

[cowdery]

The long tease for Maker's Mark 46 continues. Here's a video that apparently went up on YouTube two weeks ago, but has only been discovered in the last couple of days.

Because Maker's Mark is Maker's Mark, everything they do generates push-back. This impending release is no exception. People are already finding ways to complain about it.

I'd like to modify the plane of the discussion a little bit. Assume for the sake of argument that the new Maker's Mark 46 is really, really good. Maybe one of the best things you've ever tasted. What if they have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste.

Then how would you feel about it?

[TomH]

Assume for the sake of argument that the new Maker's Mark 46 is really, really good. Maybe one of the best things you've ever tasted. What if they have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste.

Then how would you feel about it?

I'd feel the same way I felt about when John Glaser at Compass Box did (at least from the sound of it) something similar with a vatting he called Spice Tree. The Scotch Whisky Association told him he couldn't call it scotch, but I've got 8 bottles of it in my bunker. I don't really care about how it's done, I just care about it's taste.

Tom

[ErichPryde]

I can't hit on this hard enough. I don't care if it is S-W, or s-w, or Buffalo Trace, or whoever. if the juice is good it is golden. If maker's suddenly found a stash of older whiskey, changed a couple of things specifically for this and made something amazing, I'd drink it.

[sailor22]

I'll only try it if there is a major add campaign behind it creating a lot of buzz. I'll be particularly interested if there is a sexy new bottle involved and a larger price tag. Bonus points if it's really hard to get at first and I have to pay shipping to get a bottle here.

After I try it I probably won't form an opinion until I find out how it is reviewed and how popular it is with other people on this forum. If it doesn't get good reviews won't try it and will post about how bad it is.

[DeanSheen]

Sailor nailed it.

[nblair]

I have a feeling if there are haters out there they probably won't come out and plainly say, "I won't try it no matter what."

While I do not care for their regular expression I'm still excited to get an advanced tasting without having to purchase a whole bottle. I'm heading down to the distillery next week to get a taste on their "Ambassador" day. I'll reserve all judgements til then.

[dgonano]

Chuck, if it's really , really good, and people rave about, they will pull the product off the market. Just as mentioned in the video, they don't want it to better than MM. Just a distant cousin, in town for a short stay.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I said it in the other thread, I can't wait to try this. If it isn't anything special I will only buy it once, but if it is really good I will keep it around.

[tdelling]

I'm actually a little excited about it, for two reasons.

(1) If I had to name one bourbon that would really allow variations in the oak and oak toasting to shine through, it's MM with its soft flavor profile.

(2) Although they're not as articulate in the video about it as they might be, I think it's important that they're not just pulling barrels from a specific corner of the warehouse, or vatting their batches to hit a different flavor profile. They're actually changing the production process. That's the kind of innovation that I like to see, especially from MM.

Is there going to be a bottle at WhiskeyFest Chicago?????

Tim Dellinger

[Dramiel McHinson]

I'd like to modify the plane of the discussion a little bit. Assume for the sake of argument that the new Maker's Mark 46 is really, really good. Maybe one of the best things you've ever tasted. What if they have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste.

Then how would you feel about it?

I'm not ashamed to say I've enjoyed Makers Mark for a very long time. I don't see anything wrong with MM adding a new expression of their bourbon. I actually look forward to trying it. If it's one of those lip smackin' good bourbons then I'll be adding more to the collection. :drinking:

[troyce]

I'll only try it if there is a major add campaign behind it creating a lot of buzz. I'll be particularly interested if there is a sexy new bottle involved and a larger price tag. Bonus points if it's really hard to get at first and I have to pay shipping to get a bottle here.

After I try it I probably won't form an opinion until I find out how it is reviewed and how popular it is with other people on this forum. If it doesn't get good reviews won't try it and will post about how bad it is.

one of the best post ever!

[p_elliott]

I'll only try it if there is a major add campaign behind it creating a lot of buzz. I'll be particularly interested if there is a sexy new bottle involved and a larger price tag. Bonus points if it's really hard to get at first and I have to pay shipping to get a bottle here.

After I try it I probably won't form an opinion until I find out how it is reviewed and how popular it is with other people on this forum. If it doesn't get good reviews won't try it and will post about how bad it is.

[p_elliott]

One of the barometers I have used is a gal that works for me and she is a MM nut. She has not hardly raised an eyebrow to this new stuff.

[craigthom]

They will be giving samples to Ambassadors Saturday in Loredo. I'll be there. I'm looking forward to it.

It's a good bourbon weekend, since Four Roses is having a little shindig in Lawrenceburg on Friday.

[CorvallisCracker]

I'll only try it if there is a major add campaign behind it creating a lot of buzz. I'll be particularly interested if there is a sexy new bottle involved and a larger price tag. Bonus points if it's really hard to get at first and I have to pay shipping to get a bottle here.

After I try it I probably won't form an opinion until I find out how it is reviewed and how popular it is with other people on this forum. If it doesn't get good reviews won't try it and will post about how bad it is.

What he said.

Though I'll add that for me to want to try it, it would have to be unobtainable in Oregon. I'd need to have the bottle sent by another SB.com'r.

[funknik]

Assume for the sake of argument that the new Maker's Mark 46 is really, really good. Maybe one of the best things you've ever tasted. What if they have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste.

Then how would you feel about it?

[OscarV]

Did I overlook the release date of MM46?

I can't seem to find it.

[cowdery]

I think it's a long way from being out, but there are pre-release samples out there.

I was waiting for somebody else who has tried it to come out here before I did, although I'm sure some of you suspected from my original post that I had, in fact, tasted it.

While I overstated somewhat because I wanted to re-frame the conversation, I disagree with Andy, but then I probably like regular Maker's Mark better than he does, and I really, really like 46. You might not. So what. More for me.

I also think they have accomplished something in 'advancing the art.'

[cowdery]

They take barrels of Maker's that are ready to bottle. They dump them and open up the empty barrels. They affix (without using metal or adhesive) two dowel rods in about the middle of the barrel. The ten seared staves attach to the dowels. The head is put back onto the barrel. It is refilled and returned to the racks for another few months.

The official TTB designation is: Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Barrel-Finished With Oak Staves.

It is really, really good, maybe one of the best things I've ever tasted. They have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste. One might even call it "a new breed of bourbon," were one to coin a phrase. When it comes out, it will be one of the best-tasting bourbons on the market today. I love it.

[spun_cookie]

They take barrels of Maker's that are ready to bottle. They dump them and open up the empty barrels. They affix (without using metal or adhesive) two dowel rods in about the middle of the barrel. The ten seared staves attach to the dowels. The head is put back onto the barrel. It is refilled and returned to the racks for another few months.

The official TTB designation is: Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Barrel-Finished With Oak Staves.

It is really, really good, maybe one of the best things I've ever tasted. They have, using nothing except wood, come up with a new and mighty delicious way for bourbon to taste. One might even call it "a new breed of bourbon," were one to coin a phrase. When it comes out, it will be one of the best-tasting bourbons on the market today. I love it.

[ErichPryde]

I'm very much looking forward to trying this. I'll keep my eyes open...

[gothbat]

I gotta say, I wasn't exactly enthused when I heard that they were doing this as I had much higher expectations when I heard that there was a new MM coming out. On the other hand MM is a bourbon I enjoy a lot so I am very curious as to how this will be and I do look forward to finding some for sale so I can give it a try, which I will do as soon as I find one. Too bad it sounds like this may not be any time soon...

[silverfish]

The official TTB designation is: Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Barrel-Finished With Oak Staves.

It is really, really good, maybe one of the best things I've ever tasted.

[Virus_Of_Life]

The official TTB designation is: Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Barrel-Finished With Oak Staves.

Chuck, does the fact that this is put back into essentially a used barrel disqualify the use of the term "straight'? I am not nitpicking or criticizing just wondering.

You've only managed to make me even more anxious than I already was. Is there anything at all regarding an ETA?

[cowdery]

I noticed that they didn't use 'straight' on the label, but I think that was just a choice. 'Straight' is a word most people don't understand and with an already lengthy description, they probably figured they wouldn't lose anything by leaving it out. No, using used barrels for finishes doesn't cause the 'straight' to be taken away. There is no provision in the law for something like that.

Maybe they dropped it to be gay-friendly.