Last weekend Maker’s Mark offered to bring me down to the distillery in Loretto, Kentucky to experience Maker’s 46 first-hand.  Clearly this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.  I mean, when you hear the word Kentucky what’s the first thing you think of, rolling hills, blue grass, horse racing?  Me, I think of bourbon.  It’s the one spirit I feel is truly American and Kentucky is it’s home.  So, naturally, it was a tremendous honor for me to be invited to visit Maker’s Mark in person, tour the distillery and sample their new bourbon.  That said, in the spirit of full disclosure, Maker’s Mark did pay for my entire trip.  However, they’ve neither paid me to give this review nor told me what to write.  The excitement for Maker’s 46 you’ll read here is all mine.

As Kevin Smith poured me two glasses of bourbon (one of Maker’s Mark and one of Maker’s 46) he explained to me that he prefers to offer his guests the “brownie” first, then while they’re savoring the flavor tell them the secrets to why it’s so delicious.  But, to really understand and appreciate Maker’s 46 you first have to understand and appreciate Maker’s Mark bourbon.  And that’s where my education begins.

As you bring a glass of Maker’s Mark to your nose for that first gentle sniff you notice the mellow brown color associated with a fully matured whiskey.  In the aroma scents of caramel, toffee and vanilla are the stars.  For me, the aroma of Maker’s Mark brings up images of sweet desserts, creme brulee, homemade caramels, fresh vanilla pudding and the like.  Suffice it to say, some seriously pleasant mental images.  Now you get to take that first sip and you find that the flavor matches the aroma to a tee.  All those dessert like aromas and mirrored in the flavor.  And, to top it all off, Maker’s Mark is tremendously smooth.

Now that I’ve sampled Maker’s Mark and I have a fresh mental image of its aroma and flavor I pick up my glass of Maker’s 46 that I’ve been hungrily eying since it was poured for me.  The first thing I notice about Maker’s 46 is the color is a touch deeper than that of Maker’s Mark.  The aroma of Maker’s 46 holds the same elements that I love so much about Maker’s Mark, but it elevates them to a new level of intensity, but there’s more there too.  I’m now picking up a spice quality that I didn’t get in Maker’s Mark.  Now I get to taste.  Like the aroma, the elements of vanilla, toffee and caramel are there, but punched up to new levels and with them come new spice flavors.  I’m now getting hints of Christmas spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc) that weren’t there before.  As I swallow I notice the aftertaste is still very pleasant and lingers for a wonderfully long time.  As I’m enjoying that lingering aftertaste I’m reminded of the flavor that you get from a cinnamon candy.  I’m sure you know the flavor I’m talking about.  It’s the cinnamon spiciness that lingers  in your mouth and seems to provide a warmth all it’s own.

At this point I’m truly stunned by the complexity of flavor Maker’s 46 brings.  It’s something I’ve never experienced in another bourbon.  And, as I continue to enjoy this fine spirit, my excitement is renewed with each subsequent sip.  Maker’s 46 is a bourbon that makes me want to sit down, sip and watch the world go by.  This likely doesn’t sound all that amazing, but understand that the number of times I’ve sat down for a glass of straight bourbon I can count on one hand.  Now that I’ve gotten to sample the metaphorical “brownie” Kevin begins to explain why the flavor is what it is.

After making their iconic bourbon for over 50 years Bill Samuels Jr and Kevin Smith were hearing some interesting things from die hard Maker’s Mark drinkers.  Namely Bill and Kevin were told that, while they love Maker’s Mark, every now and then they like to pour a glass of something bolder and spicier.  But, after they’d indulged that desire they always came back to Maker’s Mark.  So the idea started to coalesce that maybe Maker’s Mark could produce another bourbon that would give those die hard drinkers the spicy character they crave every now and then.  The immediate question was how could Maker’s Mark create that flavor profile?  As though that task wasn’t hard enough to begin with, Bill threw a couple more wrenches into the cogs.  He insisted that however they got that sought-after spiciness it couldn’t be done with rye and it couldn’t be done with lengthy aging.

Now Kevin had a real challenge on his hands.  You see, rye inherently provides a spicy quality and lengthy aging will produce a similar flavor as the bourbon continues to interact with wood in the barrel.  So Kevin began experimenting.  With the help of Brad Boswell, the owner and “wood chef” of Independent Stave, Maker’s Mark’s cooperage they tried new barrel designs incorporating new mixes of wood types and char levels.  Kevin tried new ratios of grains for the mash bills and changed up the fermentation process.  However, nothing seemed to result in the flavor profile they were after.  Then, one day while Bill and Kevin were discussing the failed attempts they came to a realization, they didn’t have a clear vision of what the finished product would taste like.  So they started brainstorming.  The conclusion they came to is that they wanted to preserve the qualities of Maker’s Mark that made it so delicious (vanilla, toffee, caramel, smoothness) but add a layer of spiciness that isn’t usually present.  At that point it became clear to them that the new bourbon should be based on fully mature Maker’s Mark rather than a completely new mash bill.

Now that the goal was clear and Maker’s Mark had been chosen as the base the only question that remained is how to achieve the goal.  Finishing the mature bourbon turned out to be the answer.  Understand that finishing whiskey is not a new development.  You’ll find a number of scotches that have been finished and there are even a few bourbons that are finished.  However, the process that Maker’s Mark uses is a first in the business.  First, Kevin tried taking the mature Maker’s Mark and moving it to a new charred oak barrel for a second aging.  The result was not what they were looking for.  Next, he turned back to their wood chef, Brad, for some ideas.  The solution they decided on was to add seared wood to the matured bourbon.  While this answered the question it brought up more questions.  What type of wood?  How much searing?  How long to age the bourbon?  How much wood to add to each barrel?

After a sizable number of small scale tests using wood chips the answers came clear.  The seared planks that were decided on, which Brad has labeled profile 46, are ~1/4″ x 2″ x 30″ French oak that has been seasoned (air dried) for 18 months and seared very quickly at a very high temperature.  The result of the searing process is a wood plank that has been toasted to just under the point of ignition.

So, now that the wood plank profile had been found, they figured out an ingenious method of suspending the planks inside the barrels to allow the whisky maximum contact with the planks while it ages.  So, the decided upon process is this.  Empty the fully matured Maker’s Mark and pop the heads off the barrels.  Attach 10, yes exactly 10, seared oak planks to the inside of the barrel.  Now you put the head back on the barrel, put the ring back on that you had to take off and refill the barrel.  The mixture is then allowed to age for a further 3 months.  The resulting elixir is Maker’s 46, named for the profile 46 planks used for the flavoring.  Maker’s 46 is then taken down to 94 proof, slightly higher than Maker’s Mark’s 90 proof, and bottled with the signature red wax.

So, now you know the process and the history behind the creation of this new bourbon expression.  I know I’ve gushed and rambled for quite some time now and if you’ve come this far I have one last message to share with you.  Maker’s 46 is truly a fantastic bourbon and very much worth picking up a bottle.  It’s great to simply sip neat or on the rocks and I’m very excited about the cocktail possibilities.  Look for it in stores starting July 1st with a price point of about $32.

Scotch distillery turns whisky into watts [CNN.com]

Though Doug, much like me, has never really been a Bloody Mary fan, he felt it his duty as a cocktail enthusiast to fill that hole in his skill set.   So he set off to make a Bloody Mary that he truly enjoys.  The result of his quest is the quite appropriately named Plasma Mary.  Why plasma you ask?  Well that was the interesting bit that pulled me in to his tale.  You see, Doug opts not to use tomato juice but instead freshly extracted tomato water.  It’s that “plasma” that really sounds like an interesting twist.  I’m excited to give this recipe a mix as it sounds really refreshing and light.  Hopefully my crappy blender is up to the task.  Some of us don’t have Blendtec units…yet.

For the coming weeks up to and including a couple months my posting is going to be very spotty.  I’m in the process of moving to a new home and today my whole liquor collection will be packed for the duration.  But, don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you completely hanging.  My plan is to direct you to good posts from my fellow cocktail bloggers.  That long list you see at the right side is a direct pull from my RSS reader.  So, anything they post I see.

With that plan it should keep you all in good drinks for the time I’m away and give me some great inspiration for when I fire things back up later this summer.  Until then enjoy your cocktails!

Bellini (Cocktail Hacker Quick and Dirty Version)

2 oz Fruit Nectar
3 1/2 oz Champagne

1) Combine in a champagne flute

I really don’t have much to add to this recipe, mainly because I didn’t spend a lot of time experimenting.  Though, I can assure you I’ll be coming back to this one again soon.  Look for it when Colorado peaches start coming in to season in the late summer.

But, let’s take a slightly deeper look at this combo.  It really breaks down to champagne with a fruit liqueur.  Well, there are lots of fruit liqueurs (and some non-fruit ones too) that you could sub in this that will change up the flavor profile completely.  Here are some suggestions to get you rolling.

• Peach
• Cherry
• Ginger (Domaine Canton)
• Elderflower (St. Germain)
• Pear
• Blackberry

I could continue on, but I think you get the idea.  I sampled the St. Germaine option and really enjoyed it.  It’s a definitely departure from the classic Kir Royale, but it’s very tasty in its own way.  The flowery flavor comes through gently and in harmony with the flavors of the sparkling wine.  Definitely worth a sample.

So there you have it, a simple cocktail with an easy twist.

Mimosa (Joy of Mixology)

1/2 oz Triple Sec
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
3 1/2 oz Champagne

1) Build the drink in the order listed
2) Garnish with an Orange Slice

I mixed it, I photographed it, I sampled it and then, as per my usual, I wanted to tweak it.  As written the recipe is good, but it’s too sweet for my taste.  Regan mandates that the triple sec is absolute required.  I say nay.  The triple sec doesn’t really add much to the flavor profile (it’s just another layer of orange).  What it does add is additional sweetness.  I prefer a drier Mimosa, so my choice was clear, drop the triple sec and move on.

Mimosa (Cocktail Hacker)

2 oz Orange Juice
3 1/2 oz Champagne

1) Build the drink in the order listed
2) Garnish with an Orange Slice

One last point to make before I move on to brunches unknown.  Champagne, or more correctly sparkling wine, is key to this drink.  There’s a strong pull with these types of drinks to pour in crap wine and call it good.  Don’t do it!  Seriously!  No, you don’t need to be topping your orange juice with Kristal either, but you should use something you’re willing to drink on its own. It’s like when you’re cooking with wine.  Always cook with something drinkable, always mix with something drinkable.

So there you have it.  Now, go forth and spread the joy of the Mimosa.

Bloody Mary (Cocktail Hacker)

2 oz Vodka
4 oz Tomato Juice
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
2 Dashes Hot Sauce
Heavy Pinch of Kosher Salt
2 Grinds of Black Pepper
Lemon Wedge for Garnish
Celery Stalk for Garnish

1) Combine ingredients in shaker with ice
2) Shake until well chilled
3) Strain into an ice filled Collins glass
4) Garnish with lemon and celery

Cocktails are a solid brunch choice.  But, what do you choose?  There are some easy answers like the Mimosa and the Bloody Mary.  Some of these classics I’ve already discussed, some I have not.  So, here’s my plan for the week.  I’m going to quickly cover two new cocktails and I’m going to review two cocktails that I’ve already touched on.  This should give you some solid brunch footing, be it for Mother’s Day or otherwise.

With that, let’s get brunching.