Our very own David Driscoll worked with the Maker’s team to craft a whiskey that would rival the famed wheaters from Pappy Van Winkle. At a tasting last week at San Francisco’s Hard Water the final product of their efforts was revealed. Let’s just say they hit it out of the park. For those who love big, sweet, bourbons that pack a punch the Maker’s Mark 46 delivers.

THE BIG, SWEET WHEATER YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR…

Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) $69.99

Since the turn of the decade and the explosion of boutique whiskey consumption, there’s been one question that we get asked invariably on a daily basis at K&L: What do you have that tastes like Pappy that isn’t Pappy? It’s not that these numerous inquisitors aren’t looking for Pappy Van Winkle, that unicorn of wheated whiskies, it’s just that they know they’re probably not going to find it. Therefore, the question becomes: what’s the next best thing? In my humble option, the next best thing to Pappy (a big, sweet, wheated Bourbon) is Kentucky’s other famous home of wheated whiskey: Maker’s Mark. Not only is the recipe of Bill Samuels the smoothest and creamiest Bourbon on the market, it’s been a staple of the American bar for decades. The problem with Maker’s Mark as a comparison to Pappy, however, is that one is impossible to find and the other you can get just about anywhere. When you get down to the nitty-gritty, you start to realize that a lot of Pappy Van Winkle’s appeal is its rarity. If most drinkers were simply looking for delicious, powerful, full-throttle wheated Bourbon they’d grab the Maker’s Mark Cask Strength edition, which to me is the best consistently available Bourbon on the market. However, sometimes we all want to feel a little special. We want something unique and out of the ordinary. We want to surprise a friend or a loved one with an interesting gift, something they wouldn’t normally see on the shelf. That’s what you all depend on K&L for, isn’t it? To find you those delicious little rarities that the other guys can’t seem to get their hands on? When I went out to Maker’s Mark distillery this last November I decided I was going to try and create exactly what our customers were looking for: a big, sweet, high proof, wheated Bourbon that stood out from the pack of everyday bottles. I was there to create a custom barrel of Maker’s 46 using a variety of different staves to add additional richness to the whiskey. But I didn’t play around with any of the fancy French oak staves they had as part of the process. I knew exactly what I needed going in. I chose straightforward American oak planks, put them into the barrel, and let those babies soak for a few months in the hope that they would create exactly what I needed: a limited, affordable, big, sweet, wheated, high proof Bourbon that you couldn’t just get anywhere and would only be available for a short period of time. – David Driscoll, K&L Assistant Head Buyer

Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)

Julio Santos | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 04, 2017

Makers has always been one of my favorite bourbons. But I admit I often overlook it when I feel like having great wheated bourbon. I will not neglect this bottling it is damn good. It is rich in vanilla, molasses, caramel and toffee with baking spices sprinkled throughout the lengthy palate. A pleasant high proof bourbon.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 03, 2017

A wonderful version of Marker’s Mark Bourbon. There are beautiful sweet brown sugar aromas that are very inviting. In the mouth it is big and full with lush and easy flavors. If you like your Bourbons rich and pretty this bottling is for you. It is a pleasure to drink alone and makes great cocktails.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 03, 2017

This is the big, beautiful rich wheated bourbon that people actually want to drink even if it doesn’t have the glamour of being impossible to find. Maker’s Mark has consistently put out a smooth, wheated whiskey for years and that level of expertise is evident and put on display in all of its glory in this cask strength edition. By keeping the staves entirely American Oak David allows the Maker’s Mark 46 to become fully what it should be. Sweet, rich, spicy and so delightfully sippable that even at cask strength I was drinking it sans water last night. It will not last long and it is completely worth owning.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

Customers often ask me what I mean when I say that cask strength whisky just amps up the flavors making it more punchy and intense. This is the perfect time to find out what higher proof bottling is all about. This exquisite cask of Maker’s 46 has been amped up in more ways than one. In addition to getting the extra intensity from the full octane proof, you’ve also got American Oak gone wild here. Loads of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and burnt sugar dance around the richness bestowed by the wheat. It’s rich, lush, and more than a little sexy. A dissertation on American Oak and Wheat Bourbon – top marks.

Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

The name Makers Mark is a synonym for smooth, rich, illustrious bourbon; my go-to safe bet when I need it. Imagine my delight when I heard we had created our own blend of the ultra-premium Makers 46. The richness and depth are stunning. Molasses, caramel, toast, clove, cinnamon and oak all vie for the spotlight on the palate, resulting in a powerful but balanced bourbon that is silky and viscous on the palate. Please dont waste your time tracking down an impossible to get cult bourbon for hundreds of dollars before you try this gem.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

It’s here and it’s everything we hoped it would be. Maker’s Mark at full proof is, in my humble opinion, the best wheated Bourbon that doesn’t have the word “Pappy” in the name, and with this custom stave recipe we’ve dialed up the American oak to near decadent levels. Imagine soaking seasoned American oak staves in a Bourbon barrel like a tea bag and letting that whiskey soak up that additional vanilla and wood for an additional few months. That’s what happened here. Imagine Maker’s Mark at 110 proof with additional oak and that’s this Bourbon in a nutshell. It’s a big, fat, creamy, spicy, sweet whiskey that scratches all your wheated Bourbon itches. Man, is it good.