Maker's Mark 46 French Oaked Bourbon Whisky is a French oak-finished bourbon from Loretto, Kentucky, USA, bottled at 47% ABV in a 700ml bottle. Created by Bill Samuels Jr. as the first major new expression since original Maker's Mark launched in 1958, it starts as fully matured, cask-strength Maker's Mark, then has ten seared French oak staves inserted into the barrel before finishing to maturity in the distillery's limestone cellar. The result is a bolder, more layered bourbon with caramel, vanilla and baking spice character — named World's Best Finished Bourbon at the World Whisky Awards 2026, and a Double Gold, 99-point score at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026.

Maker’s Mark 46 Tasting Notes.

Nose: Hints of toasty French oak, caramel and baking spices, with cinnamon raisin toast, brown sugar and a touch of crème brûlée richness.
Palate: Mildly sweet and uniquely layered, with deep, rich notes of vanilla and baking spice unfolding in stages, backed by charred oak character kept in balance by the wheated mash bill.
Finish: Velvety, subtle and pleasingly long.

Why Choose Maker’s Mark 46?

Maker's 46 was Bill Samuels Jr.'s answer to a specific challenge: how to build on his father's original recipe with a bolder, more intense expression, without introducing the bitterness longer barrel ageing often brings. Rather than simply ageing longer, the distillery developed a first-of-its-kind finishing process, developed in collaboration with "Wood Chef" Brad Boswell of Independent Stave Company — fully matured, cask-strength Maker's Mark goes back into the barrel with ten seared French oak staves inserted, then finishes to maturity in Maker's limestone cellar for roughly nine weeks. That process is now the foundation of the wider Maker's Mark Private Select programme, showing how influential this expression became within the brand. Since launching in 2010, it's become one of the most awarded expressions in the range, most recently named World's Best Finished Bourbon at the World Whisky Awards 2026 and scoring a Double Gold, 99 points at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026. It retains the smooth, wheated character that makes standard Maker's Mark approachable, while adding real depth and complexity — a strong step-up recommendation for customers who already enjoy the original and want to trade up, and an excellent base for a Manhattan or French Oaked 75.

About Maker’s Mark.

Maker’s Mark was founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels Sr. at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, with the first hand-dipped bottle reaching the market in 1958. Co-founder Margie Samuels designed the brand's now-iconic bottle shape, label and hand-dipped red wax seal, and became the first woman inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame for her contributions to the brand and the wider industry. The distillery remained family-run for generations, with leadership passing from Bill Samuels Jr. to his son Rob Samuels in 2011, and Maker's Mark is now part of Suntory Global Spirits. Renowned for its wheated mash bill and small-batch, hand-crafted approach, Maker's Mark remains one of the most recognisable and widely enjoyed bourbon brands in the world.