My Quotidian Whiskey

Maker’s 46

Bourbon Whiskey

Finished with heavily charred French oak staves

Maker’s Mark Distillery – Loretto, Kentucky

94 Proof

$40

If you’ve been following along, I think about and write about TIME quite a bit. Considering and appreciating Time is a Key to Life, of course. Time should be spent with loved ones, doing good work, and appreciating great whiskies. Thankfully, the world has given us so many incredible Whiskey options. Between my closest whiskey brother and myself, we’ve got hundreds and hundreds of bottles to choose from. Add to that access to myriad liquor shops (both local and on the web), and the options become nearly limitless.

This can be a double-edged sword. They call it the paradox of choice. I can’t tell you how many times my friend and I will stare at his wall of whiskey, and be completely paralyzed. Do we want bourbon, rye, scotch, Canadian, Japanese or a blend? Something special or accessible? Sweet, spicy, smoky? Barrel proof? Finished? Neat or a cocktail? With a world of options at our fingertips, do we enjoy our pours? Or do we have instant second thoughts, “…should have poured the Chef’s Collab!”

My brother defaults to a Manhattan, and then has to pick a rye and a vermouth (but at least he has narrowed the choice down considerably.) My default tends to be something I know I can always get my hands on – Maker’s 46.

At Maker's Mark in Loretto, KY - rocking the Ambassador pin.

Maker’s 46 is my quotidian whiskey. It is at once accessible and complex, lavish yet affordable. I don’t drink it every day, but I could. More importantly, the moment I begin to fall into the “I don’t know what I want to pour tonight” trap, I reach for this everyday beauty. Every sip, I’m still somehow surprised at how delectable and balanced this bourbon can be. That’s a magic trick right there.

Is it my absolute favorite? No. 

Does it crack my top 10 all time whiskeys? No, though it cracks the top 20.

Is it the whiskey I enjoy the most often? Undoubtedly.

A flight at Maker's Mark. The 46 is the gold at the top.

What’s the secret to Maker’s 46 then? Maker’s takes their aged juice (also delicious) and finishes it (re-barrels it) with charred French oak staves. The extra rest paired with the extra charred wood magnifies the qualities in Maker’s Mark, creating a more complex expression of the classic red-winter wheated bourbon. 46 is a little sweeter, a little spicier, a little woodier.  There’s a baked bread quality to it that pairs with the characteristic notes of caramel, cinnamon and oak that is just delightful.

For your dollar, you’re not going to find a better or more complex everyday whiskey than this. Go get yourself a bottle.

Cheers!

-Cane

Your humble blogger, considering Maker's 46 at the Maker's Mark Distillery.