Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength

MAKER’S MARK WOOD-FINISHING SERIES SHOWDOWN Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Maker’s 46 French Oaked Cask Strength Maker’s Mark BRT-02 Limited Release Maker’s Mark The Heart Release 2024 Maker’s Mark The Keeper’s Release 2025 Maker’s Mark Private Selection Unique Stave Selection 086/246 (TL;DR: The BRT-02 wins in a landslide). This review began as a critique of three Maker’s Mark Finishing Series bourbons: The Heart Release 2024, The Keeper’s Release 2025, and a Private Selection Unique Stave Selection. Then I realized that I needed a baseline, so I pulled a bottle of Maker’s 46 French Oaked Cask Strength (everything’s about context). That led to the need to baseline the MM46, so I grabbed a Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. Finally, I realized I had a (unopened) BRT-02 in inventory and decided to toss it into the mix. So we’ll begin with the baselines: first the normal MM Cask Strength, then the MM46 Cask Strength, and those followed by the others in chronological order. I tasted these bourbons over the course of several days. I’m a fan of Maker’s Mark and their Wood-Finishing Series, which began with Maker’s 46 back in the day. All whiskies—bourbon, Scotch, Irish, Japanese—have experimented with special releases with varying success, typically focused on barrels having contained another wine or spirit. So when Maker’s developed the 46 project further, I was more than happy to test things out (all in the name of science). Maker’s Mark Cask Strength While I’ve always had a bottle of Maker’s around the house, and have been a big fan of Maker’s 46 since it first came out, I’ve never been a Maker’s Mark Cask Strength afficionado (and I prefer high-proof bourbon). My not-quite-dislike never made sense to me, as I’ve always viewed Barrel Proof and Cask Strength whiskies as purer expressions of their lower-proof brethren. MM Cask Strength had a taste that I never could quite put my finger on—there was a musty element. And with this tasting, I think I’ve figured it, right under my nose. It’s the wood—but it tastes like old wood. Bourbon by definition has to be aged in charred new American oak, so “by law” it shouldn’t be old. But this wood doesn’t impart the rich vanilla and other flavors that new oak typically provides—and which is the entire ethos behind Maker’s Wood Finishing series. In comparison to the other five bourbons here, the Cask Strength comes across as flat; the wood just isn’t doing much. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength can be found for around $45. Would I buy it again? Yes, just to have on-hand, but primarily for cocktails because of the high ABV. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. Batch No. 21-02. 55.2% ABV. Maker’s Mark 46 French Oaked Cask Strength Much richer and deeper than the regular Cask Strength. Also richer and more powerful than the Heart, Keeper’s, and Private Selection; in comparison, these seem a bit more delicate in comparison. The MM46 is a touch more monolithic than the others, but the depth and richness wins out. Consistent with prior note (10/12/23). Hot chocolate, cocoa, dried apricot, cola, vanilla, and yes, a smidgen of dill. Lots of oak. Cinnamon apples and clove on the palate. Medium-length finish with lots of oak characteristics. Maker’s Mark 46 French Oaked Cask Strength can be bought for around $60. Would I buy it again? Yes. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. Batch 24-01. 55.3% ABV. Maker’s Mark BRT-02 Limited Release (2022) Elegance and power. Sweet and fruity: cocoa, espresso, dates, caramel apple, smoked BBQ, oak, vanilla. The smoothest of the bunch—by far—despite there being a range of only 2.8 percentages points of proof amongst these six bourbons. Finishes very long with chocolate fudge and maple candy. BRT-02 can still be found for around $140 online (I had no idea). This is a fantastic bourbon. Would I buy it again? It’s not cheap, but it’s a good value. Yes. 4.5+ on the Distiller scale. Stave Profile: 10 virgin toasted French Oak staves. 54.7% ABV. Maker’s Mark The Heart Release 2004 I’m surprised that I haven’t reviewed this bourbon before, as this pour was the bottle’s last. The label says “Caramel, Chocolate, Maple.” In reality, this practice—employed by numerous distillers—is more aptly referred to as “leading the witness.” Caramel is a common bourbon descriptor; chocolate in various guises is also commonplace. Maple, a bit less so. I don’t really get maple here. Chocolate-covered cherries? Yes, and maybe some cocoa. Pipe tobacco? New saddle leather? Yes and yes. And spearmint. The palate is not particularly viscous. Cinnamon red hots and clove on the finish, with wood tannins and cooling licorice. The alcohol is noticeable, and a bit out of balance; I’ve had higher-proofed whiskies that were better integrated. The Heart Release was launched at $75 retail, and can still be found online for just over that. While it’s true that many whiskies have more cachet, and perhaps better marketing, the market’s Invisible Hand is telling you something here. I’ve got whiskies that have appreciated 10x since purchasing them. I’ve never bought a whisk(e)y as an investment—I drink them—but scarcity is a significant driver of price, and apparently there’s plenty of these still around. Either A) Maker’s produced way too much; B) connoisseurs weren’t particularly enamored (this price point is aimed at enthusiasts; it’s not a mixer); or C) all of the above. I enjoyed this bourbon, and have no regrets purchasing it, but it’s not particularly noteworthy, unlike the earlier FAE and BEP releases. It is more fruity (and maybe more complex) than the Maker’s 46 Cask Strength when tasted side-by-side. Would I buy it again? Maybe, just to have it around to compare to others. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. Stave Profile: 10 virgin toasted French oak staves. Volume 1 of 5. Bottled June 2024. 56.0% ABV. Maker’s Mark The Keeper’s Release 2005 The bottle says: “Bold, Oak, Toasted Sweetness.” The bourbon drinker asks: “And?” An F on originality. But not quite “move along, nothing to see here;” we still have to drink it. Because science. I get a prominent cherry cordial note on the nose, along with sawdust (not necessarily in a bad way), cocoa, mocha (coffee’s lovechild, but not coffee solo), apple? spearmint, and (surprise!) oak. Neither particularly oily nor viscous on the palate. A raft of oaky tannins commingled with alcohol. A cooling spearmint and licorice note throughout, with bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, and espresso on the finish, with a peach note coming in very, very late. Is it “Bold?” I hope so. This ain’t 80-proof Beam on the rocks. This is bourbon in above-bottled-in-bond territory. Also neat. Is it “Oak?” Yes, bourbon by definition must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. Same goes for “Toasted Sweetness.” The oak is toasted (charred), and the oak is the source of the various “sweet” descriptors. Forget what I said: the market has spoken. The Keeper’s Release can still be found for around its release price of $75. Would I buy it again? Perhaps, for the same reason as the 2024 Heart Release—to continue to explore the different Maker’s expressions. I prefer this slightly about the Heart Release, but it's’ not too differentiated. 4.0+ on the Distiller scale. Stave Profile: 10 virgin toasted American oak staves. Release 2 of 5. Bottled February 2025. 54.6% ABV. Maker’s Mark Unique Stave Selection 086/246 Most woodsy (not quite woody per se) of the three. Marzipan, cocoa, peaches—sweeter than the others. More viscosity than the Heart or Keeper’s. Vanilla, chocolate fudge, and licorice on the finish. All of these Unique Stave Selections are unique. But variants, including this one, can be found for around $85. Would I buy it again? I’d return to the store where I purchased this particular expression for another bottle. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. Stave Profile: Baked American Pure (0); seared French cuvée (3); Maker’s Mark 46 (1); roasted French mendiant (5); toasted French spice (1). No. 086/246. 55.35% ABV. I tasted these bourbons over the course of several days, in small amounts. Each feel a bit clunky vs the elegant and complex BRT-02. The 46 is the most bold; the Unique Stave Selection the most sweet. 1. BRT-02 Limited Release 2. Private Selection Unique Stave Selection 086/246 3. Marker’s 46 French Oaked Cask Strength 4. The Heart Release 2024 5. The Keeper’s Release 2025 6. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Six Glencairns of bourbon side by side is always instructive. It would be difficult to dissect these bourbons individually (and all six together presents its own set of difficulties). These recent special releases are not at the level of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged series, which are noteworthy. Nor are they of the same caliber as their FAE and BRT predecessors in the early 2020s. And while I’m skeptical of private barrel selections from any retailer—does anyone really think that a distiller is going to let a retailer have access to its best barrels, rather than keeping them themselves?—in this particular case, the private selection tasted here was in many respects superior to the other more prominent releases. And then there’s the Maker’s 46 French Oaked Cask Strength itself. This expression can be found for only $10-15 less than the special releases. It’s the best value of the bunch.

MAKER’S MARK CASK STRENGTH SHOWDOWN Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength As I’ve noted elsewhere, I’m a big fan of what Maker’s Mark has done with their wood-finishing series, which all started with Maker’s 46. Maker’s 46 Cask Strength is a relatively new product, first offered nationally in 2020. Maker’s 46 is far better than the base Maker’s Mark offering; let’s see if that holds true with the cask strength of each. These two are just 0.1 apart in terms of proof points; the most significant difference is the additional wood staves that are used in the Maker’s 46. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Color is a clear and bourbon-like Pantone 152. There’s noticeable ethanol on the nose, which shows tangerine, sawdust, bananas foster, cocoa powder, rosin, a mild guava, and cinnamon. The alcohol comes through strongly on the palate as well, and shows lots of oak and vanilla, with more on the finish, along with a little woody tannic bitterness. There’s a lot of wood here. As I sip and wait, and then go back and forth between this and the 46CS, there is an oscillation between a nice complexity and a whole lotta wood. Maker’s philosophy has always been to bottle to taste rather than age: perhaps there’s a focus on normal MM that detracts from its cask-strength counterpart. There is so much to like, if only the wood was toned down a bit. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength retails for about $40. Would I buy it again? Yes. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. 110.4 proof. NAS. Batch no. 21-02. Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength Color is virtually identical to the regular MM Cask Strength at Pantone 152. Different nose; warmer, sweeter, and more mellow than the normal cask strength, with hot chocolate, coffee, caramel, dried apricot, a touch of dill, and vanilla, in addition to a whiff of char. While the alcohol is not as prevalent on the nose as it is with the MMCS—despite the nearly identical proof—it becomes noticeable on the finish, along with oak and gobs of vanilla. There’s a lot to like here, but like the normal MMCS, there’s a lot of wood to chop. Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength can be found for around $65, which is more expensive than Maker’s normal cask strength offering. Would I but it again? (Actually, this bottle was a gift). Yes. On a proof basis alone, the price represents good value in today’s market, and on top of that, it’s good—better than the normal cask strength offering. A little less wood would push this easily into the 4.0 range; I’d like to try other releases to see if that’s the case. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. 110.3 proof. NAS. Batch no. 23-01. There are many possible “showdown” combinations, with commonality found between producers, types, styles, and proofs. What I’d like to do now is try the regular 46 (I have an old-style bottle) side-by-side with this 46 Cask Strength. From memory, I like the regular 46 better; but I’ll have to test that hypothesis in another review. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

I've enjoyed Maker's 46 since its introduction some 14 years ago. I typically prefer MM46 to the flagship label, but I find the MM101 to be the most satisfying of Bill Samuels' contribution to the bourbon world. It has been a while since I've had a bottle of the 46 on my bar and seeing the cask strength expression just sitting there on the shelf, all by itself... Tasted neat from a grappa copita after a few minutes rest. This is the last of the bottle, a perfect 1.5oz pour. I've enjoyed this in an Old Fashioned, a couple Manhattan variations, on a rock and neat and it didn't take long for the bottle to go from neck pour to final pour. The nose is cherries in syrup, almonds and walnuts, caramel and brown sugar. It's sweet, but certainly not saccharine. There's a whiff of ethanol and a touch of latex paint that hints at the 110+ proof. Mouthfeel is silky and not quite as rich as the very best cask strength whiskies can be. Still, it's quite good. The flavor is rich with slightly bitter wood tannin that plays against the sugar from the corn and the bready richness of the wheat. The profile is familiar 46 with the volume turned up a bit - or maybe the saturation knob was twiddled a bit. There's more contrast than I remember from my last bottle of MM46, but there's also that bitter element. The finish is moderate and unremarkable. There's a slight pepperiness and some left-over syrup that coats the back of the palate. Yes, I like this just fine. It's an excellent bourbon and a favorite wheated expression. But I'm not blown away. It's not a Knob Creek 120 proof flavor bomb. It's not a Chattanooga 111 Stagg Jr killer. It's good, but it's not great. I rate on a bell curve where the average product should score between 2 and 3; the peak of distribution. This is much better than average, but not quite good enough to make it into the top quintile.

I'm a big fan of Maker's 46. Maker's Mark Cask Strength offered a massive improvement to the base MM. If that's the case with this one, I'm in for a massive treat. I do love the opportunity to try a solid watered-down product in its uncut form. It's a rare opportunity. Without further ado, let's see what CS does for a great base product. Nose: Vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar. Graham cracker and burnt marshmallow. Toasted almond. Cinnamon. Sun-dried tomato. Orange citrus. Raisin. Sawdust. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Vanilla, marshmallow, caramel, brown sugar, milk chocolate, and a hint of fudge. Graham cracker and milk chocolate. Raisin and maple. Apple and cherry. Orange citrus. Cocoa, tobacco smoke, and black pepper. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Raisin and cola. Sawdust. Cocoa, black pepper, black tea, and tobacco smoke. Graham cracker and toasted almond. Clove, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and oak. Long as they make them. Damn good bourbon. Nose was surprisingly tame. The palate redeemed it in a big way, and the finish caps this is off in powerful fashion. My main critique here would be that the French Oak finish and the wheated mash bill seems to lend itself to be appreciated in its softer incarnate. This is a rare example where I actually prefer the watered-down version to the uncut rendition. This hits the mark for VFM. At $63, it's not a great deal more than the standard 46. It delivers in terms of quality. I'm very glad to have grabbed this one. It's an interesting pour, and it makes me excited to crack a fresh bottle of the standard 46. Well done, MM. 4/5.

Batch 23-02, at 110.1 ABV. Decent consistency for a cask strength release. Nose is an old tea box where the wood is slightly musty, and the faint aroma of loose leaf green tea lingers. A deeper take adds a whiff of vanilla, then linseed oil and a flash of cedar. Not hot on the nose, but this bottle has been open and 3/4 empty for over a year, so YMMV. Mouth is spicy without being annoyingly so, with a big blast of cardamom and nutmeg leading the charge. The oak influence is pronounced, and negates much of the wheat sweetness, giving instead an oily, almost chewy palate with oak astringency and tannins balanced very well by vanilla and light molasses. Finish is clean and brief and all oak. This is obviously a well thought out and developed product. The way the legs climb the glass is almost mesmerising, and for a NAS wheater the depth of palate and nose is quite remarkable. This does nothing wrong, and many things right. Aside from a few MM Private Selection bottles, this is my favorite of the series, and I recommend it to anyone who happens across one sitting on a shelf.

2023, Batch 23-02. Mashbill 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley, aged 4 years, finished with 10 French oak staves, bottled at 110.1 proof. Tasting neat. Bright copper color and good coating legs in the glass. Nose is brown sugar, cinnamon and baking spice, oak char, grassy, and some ethanol. Really nice. In the mouth, burnt sugar, char, cinnamon, vanilla, and then dry tannic oak. Dark, with a little cherry, and then dry, holding the sweet in check. Slightly oily, but a thin mouthfeel, with appropriate ethanol tingle and heat. Finish is dried fruit, char, tannins, and dry. Average length. Ice cube tames the tannic oak and lets that sweet wheated bourbon shine. Makers Mark profile with an extra dose of French oak and at cask strength. Not surprising, but what's not to like? Ok, I like the initial 2020 taller rounded bottle and cork like the Wood Finishing Series rather than this traditional squared MM bottle and screw cap, but... that's just packaging. Overall, a solid high-proof wheated bourbon.