PDA

View Full Version : Hooch/stogie review: Makers 46 Bourbon Whiskey. Paired with a Fuente Gran Reserva



El Jefe
04-07-2012, 04:30 PM
Ya know, by the time you get to my age, wrong side of 50, you really start to appreciate some of the better things life can offer. For me, among other things, is a good glass of whiskey with a good cigar.

So, in the interest of conversation and whatnot....

Makers 46, by Makers Mark

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4671/trackmakers46273.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/28/trackmakers46273.jpg/)

Regular Makers Mark was my house hooch for a long time and while I've largely moved on from it, I still keep a bottle of it my hooch cabinet at all times. Many of my friends drink it and appreciate that I have it when they come over. Recently I learned that Makers had come out with a second, "premium" bourbon. As you might expect I had to try it.

Packaging - nice, a good looking bottle and silk screened label.

Nose - sweet, you smell alcohol of course, but also vanilla and brown sugar. Not unpleasant, but not the best smelling bourbon I've tried either.

Taste - sweet, it's Makers for crying out loud. A little more spice than regular Makers Mark, which must come from the different aging process, because there is no rye in 46, a mistake in my opinion.

Finish - short and sweet. This is a very smooth and easy to drink whiskey. This would be perfect for the beginning bourbon drinker. It tastes good and won't challenge you too much.

Final impression - Too expensive, in my market it's $33 for 750ml at Sams Club. I can buy a similar, yet superior, Elijah Craig 12 year, for $23 in most stores. This is a decent, easy to drink whiskey, but it suffers from no rye in the mash bill. It doesn't have the interest or complexity of many, cheaper bourbons.

This mild bourbon I paired with the well known Fuentes Gran Reserva Churchill. Good mild smoke that didn't over power the mild Makers 46. Nice paring.

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/826/trackmakers46277.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/845/trackmakers46277.jpg/)

Well gentlemen, I hope you at least got a chuckle out of my "review" and I hope you're enjoying your Saturday afternoon as much as I am.

Cheers. ;)

CigarGuy
04-08-2012, 07:22 AM
Niiiiiice. Thanks for the review. I plan on exploring the wonderful worlds of Bourbons, one day.

TEN-32
04-08-2012, 08:33 AM
Nice review J. I share your tastes. I have a bottle of that in the cabinet currently. I like it, but there are others, as you opined, that are le$$ and better. And others still in the same general price point that are far better. Have you tried any of the Elijah Craig or W.L. Weller offerings?

El Jefe
04-08-2012, 11:22 AM
Nice review J. I share your tastes. I have a bottle of that in the cabinet currently. I like it, but there are others, as you opined, that are le$$ and better. And others still in the same general price point that are far better. Have you tried any of the Elijah Craig or W.L. Weller offerings?

Bleed, yes, the Elijah Craig 12 year old, is one of my favorites, not to mention one of "the best buys" in the world of bourbon. In fact my bench marks for value are the EC-12, and Buffalo Trace. It's Buffalo Trace that I keep in my decanter, great stuff for $20 a fifth.

As far as the Weller, I can't remember who distills that line these days. I know I've had WL Weller in years past, but it's been a good while. What they're producing today I'm not familiar with I'm afraid. Do you have a particular Weller offering you like?

TEN-32
04-08-2012, 12:58 PM
Lets see, here is what I currently have in the cupboard. I generally use a sniffing glass and only have 1 or 2 per sitting. Left to right is the Makers 46, WLW12, WLW Special Reserve, Colorado, EC 12 & 18, Booker's, Baby Saz and WT101. There is a Blanton's up there too not pictured.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg855/scaled.php?server=855&filename=20120408124840.jpg&res=landing
And for giggles...
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg593/scaled.php?server=593&filename=20120408124948.jpg&res=landing

El Jefe
04-08-2012, 01:53 PM
Whoa, Johnnie Walker, Blue Label, I'm impressed! :the-man:

So, tell me about the different Weller bottlings you have. What would you compare them to?

I bought a bottle of Bookers a while back, haven't had the stones to open it yet. :embarrassed: I also have it's sibling, the Basil Hayden's, very interesting, very dry for being a bourbon. I'm thinking it's corn content must be as low as is allowed at around 51%. I didn't realize Bourbon could be made this dry, it's good tho, needs at least a medium flavored stogie to pair with it.

binky59
04-08-2012, 02:04 PM
I switched from sour mash to Makers a while back but I'm interested in single malt
any recomendations?

El Jefe
04-08-2012, 02:28 PM
I switched from sour mash to Makers a while back but I'm interested in single malt
any recomendations?

The Balvenie & Glenmorangie offerings are good. I'm more of a bourbon guy, but some scotch's are good too. What I don't care for, are the really peaty, smokey ones. To my palate it's like drinking a burning rubber tire. That said, many love the peaty single malts.

TEN-32
04-08-2012, 03:06 PM
I switched from sour mash to Makers a while back but I'm interested in single malt
any recomendations?
I'd try Evan Williams black label if I were you. Its a KY sour mash bourbon, best bargain hooch there is. For Scotch, try Black Bottle. Its a blend, but you'll see...

Whoa, Johnnie Walker, Blue Label, I'm impressed! :the-man:

So, tell me about the different Weller bottlings you have. What would you compare them to?

I bought a bottle of Bookers a while back, haven't had the stones to open it yet. :embarrassed: I also have it's sibling, the Basil Hayden's, very interesting, very dry for being a bourbon. I'm thinking it's corn content must be as low as is allowed at around 51%. I didn't realize Bourbon could be made this dry, it's good tho, needs at least a medium flavored stogie to pair with it.


The Balvenie & Glenmorangie offerings are good. I'm more of a bourbon guy, but some scotch's are good too. What I don't care for, are the really peaty, smokey ones. To my palate it's like drinking a burning rubber tire. That said, many love the peaty single malts.
Actually the Blue Label is a bit of a disappointment considering the cost. The Ardbeg is far more interesting although you would not like it based on your comments. VERY peaty and salty. The Wellers are some of my favorite bourbons. I don't do reviews, but I know what I like. The Booker is stiff, but very flavorful. Put a splash of water and enjoy sparingly.

El Jefe
04-08-2012, 03:32 PM
Bleed, what did you find disappointing with the Blue Label? I have always heard it was top shelf.

I think I'll see your Evan Williams, and raise you 4 Roses Yellow label. Just kidding really, both are awesome considering they go for around $13 a fifth. Crazy, considering what some bottlings cost.

For my wimpy ass, when it comes to whisky, it has to be Speyside, or Lowlands, the other stuff it just too, I'll say, challenging :) Besides, they're so many killer bourbons, why stray? ;)

TEN-32
04-08-2012, 03:50 PM
Bleed, what did you find disappointing with the Blue Label? I have always heard it was top shelf.

I think I'll see your Evan Williams, and raise you 4 Roses Yellow label. Just kidding really, both are awesome considering they go for around $13 a fifth. Crazy, considering what some bottlings cost.

For my wimpy ass, when it comes to whisky, it has to be Speyside, or Lowlands, the other stuff it just too, I'll say, challenging :) Besides, they're so many killer bourbons, why stray? ;)

Well, everything I say is simply opinion so take it for what its worth. To me the Blue Label is for some Wall Street suit who doesn't know any better to try and impress someone because he spent a fortune on a bottle of booze. It has no distinct character, it has nothing to suggest to me that it is worth $150 more than a dozen other options. Is it smooth? Yes. Is it nice? Yes. Do I enjoy it? Yes. I can say that about any number of $30-$80 bottles of Scots Whiskey. Again, just my opinion. And it finishes very weak. It just fades and gone...

I have not tried the 4 Roses...I will now.

El Jefe
04-08-2012, 04:37 PM
Well, everything I say is simply opinion so take it for what its worth. To me the Blue Label is for some Wall Street suit who doesn't know any better to try and impress someone because he spent a fortune on a bottle of booze. It has no distinct character, it has nothing to suggest to me that it is worth $150 more than a dozen other options. Is it smooth? Yes. Is it nice? Yes. Do I enjoy it? Yes. I can say that about any number of $30-$80 bottles of Scots Whiskey. Again, just my opinion. And it finishes very weak. It just fades and gone...

I have not tried the 4 Roses...I will now.

Gottcha. ;)

Hey, at $13 bucks, the 4 Roses really can't disappoint, tho at that price, it can't be bad really :)

TEN-32
04-08-2012, 05:38 PM
As long as we're at it, here are some pics of my tobacco and pipes...
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg855/scaled.php?server=855&filename=20120408173444.jpg&res=landing
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg846/scaled.php?server=846&filename=20120408173528.jpg&res=landing

recon
04-08-2012, 09:31 PM
Arturo Fuente are some of my favorite cigars. Haven't had Wild Turkey Whiskey since my military days.

El Jefe
04-09-2012, 02:16 PM
Arturo Fuente are some of my favorite cigars. Haven't had Wild Turkey Whiskey since my military days.

I hadn't had any Fuente's for a good while so I grab a few last time I was in the cigar store. Good consistant smokes, but they'd get lost trying to pair one with say.....rye. ;)

El Jefe
04-09-2012, 02:25 PM
As long as we're at it, here are some pics of my tobacco and pipes...
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg855/scaled.php?server=855&filename=20120408173444.jpg&res=landing
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg846/scaled.php?server=846&filename=20120408173528.jpg&res=landing

Bleed, what uh, are you storing your pipe tobacco in there?

TEN-32
04-09-2012, 04:51 PM
Canning jars. Ball or Mason...whatever.