Maker’s Mark 2.0

Maker's Mark, the internationally known producer of perfectly good, expertly marketed, slightly overpriced bourbon, is trotting out a new product. This is no big deal in the world of Pepsi, Coke, and Miller beer, where new brands and varieties roll out every 10 or 15 minutes to capitalize on some new flavor additive or highly touted, poorly established health benefit. But the new Maker's Mark product represents the first time in the distillery's 52-year history that it's rolled out a new line.

It's called Maker's 46, which is unfortunately a reference to the stuff's in-house profile number during the testing process, not four-plus decades of aging. According to the AP story detailing the drink:

"Whiskey barrels storing Maker's are emptied so workers can insert oak planks inside each. The barrels are refilled and aged two to three months longer than traditional Maker's, which ages six to seven years. As Maker's 46 mingles with the wood, it takes on stronger hints of caramel, spice and vanilla, [master distiller Kevin] Smith said."

Maker's 46 will run somewhere between 30 and 40 bucks for a 750ml bottle, be distributed in much smaller quantities than your typical Maker's, and probably only arguably be better than a $25 bottle of Bulleit. Then again, Bulleit is delicious.