The first new Makers Mark recipe for at least 50 years, Maker's 46 is named for the number of different wood 'recipes' they tried before getting it right. Bottled at 47% it is matured in part in barrels containing a 'ladder' of toasted new French oak barrel staves to give more spice, sweetness and vanilla.Toffee sweetness and the saw dust from freshly cut wood. Has a very toasty aroma, with sweet spices and deep, thick caramel. Creamy and very soft on the palate. Then it opens up, in fact it explodes with spiciness which concentrates on the tip of the tongue. It’s on nutmeg, mulled wine spices, allspice, cinnamon. Also a hint of hot apple juice. A natural progression of the palate with the sweet spices and it concentrates on the tongue – this may be one of the few times you’ll notice a concentration of sweetness like this from a bourbon. It also becomes grassy after a minute or so. It's utterly stunning.