Any recommendations similar to Makers 46?

[DesignatedDecoy]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the craft whiskeys. I'm really liking Makers 46. Can anyone recommend a another whiskey I might like for $50 or under. Thanks!!!



I tried Monkey's Shoulder. It's decent I guess. Not great. Not bad though. It said barley so that sold me but not as good as makers 46.

 

[DesignatedDecoy]

really nothin? buuuummmmp

 

[worlddivides]

I've only had Maker's Mark 46 once and I don't remember exactly how different it tasted from regular Maker's Mark.

Some of the good bourbons I've bought recently would be Elijah Craig 18 year, Basil Hayden's, and Jefferson's Reserve, but I can't speak to whether they're similar to Maker's Mark 46 or not, other than that they're all Kentucky straight bourbon whiskies.

I tried Monkey's Shoulder. It's decent I guess. Not great. Not bad though. It said barley so that sold me but not as good as makers 46.

View attachment 259327

Well, considering Monkey's Shoulder is a Scotch whiskey, it would be barley since all Scotch and Irish whiskies are made from barley.

In general, the only whiskies that aren't made mostly from barley are bourbon (made primarily from corn) and rye whiskey (made primarily from rye).

 

[grayhalladay]

Buffalo Trace is an amazing bourbon that is in the same price and competitive bracket as makers 46. I think a 1/5 bottle is $44 here in Arkansas. Makers 46 is a specialty of the makers mark brand. I don't know if you are asking for top shelf bottles from distillers or just ~90 points rated bourbons.

 

[beernbourbon]

Knob Creek is my daily go to, regular Maker's is a bit milder, not much. Lot of it is marketing IMHO.
Standards for me are Blanton's (lil more 'spensive), Four Roses Single Barrel(don't remember what I paid, but wasn't horrible). Agree with WD, Basil Hayden's pretty good too. There's a lot of 'em out there. Just have to go on the trail and try 'em all

 

[loeks]

Old Crow has been my go-to lately (because I'm broke). $10 a handle!

Kinda Sorry, I'm kinda bored at work right now.

 

[Owly055]

My go to Bourbon is Woodford's Private Reserve..... to my taste it beats MM and Knob Creek hands down while still having that wonderful Bourbon bite that gets lost in brews like Basil Hayden and Banton's, which are both very smooth, but lacking something important....I'm not sure what exactly.


H.W.

 

[beernbourbon]

My go to Bourbon is Woodford's Private Reserve..... to my taste it beats MM and Knob Creek hands down while still having that wonderful Bourbon bite that gets lost in brews like Basil Hayden and Banton's, which are both very smooth, but lacking something important....I'm not sure what exactly.H.W.

Yeah, I know some like that....me not so much. I went on a quest a few years back to find bourbon that IMO didn't taste like kerosene. Absolutely personal preference though. I will, however, freely admit WPR is not one I've tried....I probably should. I think I remember one of them along the way was plain old Woodford maybe? Do they have that? Been a while since I went to the store to get some ..... I don't really remember, just remember not really liking "it", whatever "it" was.

 

[Owly055]

I drank my way through the top shelf bourbons and scotches at a fairly high class establishment I frequent..... It's really the best way..... Needless to say I didn't do it in one or two sittings.....it's a little hard to pop for a $36 shot of scotch........but it's a lot cheaper than buying a bottle. There are not a lot of bars that have that kind of selection unfortunately. I suggest that you sniff one out and make friends with the bar tender..... If you drink there frequently, it's often possible to get just a splash of something. My special bartender retired this year, and I miss her a lot! Between 3 different establishments, she had been serving me since 1982.......... The occasional helping hand and a few $100 tips when I knew she was in a personal crisis didn't hurt either.


H.W.

 

[worlddivides]

Woodford Private Reserve and Knob Creek are also great bourbons. Blanton's and Old Scout are excellent as well. A few others would be John Bowman, Elmer T. Rare, and Weller's.

Buffalo Trace is an amazing bourbon that is in the same price and competitive bracket as makers 46. I think a 1/5 bottle is $44 here in Arkansas. Makers 46 is a specialty of the makers mark brand. I don't know if you are asking for top shelf bottles from distillers or just ~90 points rated bourbons.

Buffalo Trace is one of my all-time favorite whiskies. Here in California it's usually about $25 for 750ml. Interesting how prices can differ THAT MUCH from state to state, especially considering you're closer to Kentucky.

 

[grayhalladay]

Buffalo Trace is one of my all-time favorite whiskies. Here in California it's usually about $25 for 750ml. Interesting how prices can differ THAT MUCH from state to state, especially considering you're closer to Kentucky.

Yeah, Arkansas' taxes on commodities are crazy, but then again you live in California so I don't think my argument holds. We do have a very significant state excise tax though on spirits. Also, you lucky bastard, I wouldn't drink anything else.

 

[worlddivides]

Yeah, Arkansas' taxes on commodities are crazy, but then again you live in California so I don't think my argument holds. We do have a very significant state excise tax though on spirits. Also, you lucky bastard, I wouldn't drink anything else.

California taxes don't really bother me at all, but that's probably because the San Francisco Bay Area's ridiculous sky-high (and going higher) real estate prices have been driving me insane since I moved out here.

I do drink a lot of whiskeys other than Buffalo Trace, but I always make sure to have one bottle of it at home at all times. It's definitely my "must-have whiskey."

 

[stpug]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the craft whiskeys. I'm really liking Makers 46. Can anyone recommend a another whiskey I might like for $50 or under. Thanks!!!

I was not overly impressed with Makers 46. It was fine but nothing worth buying again IMO.

My favorite neat drinker of late is Wild Turkey Rare Breed. It high proof (112proof) and reasonably priced ($30-$40). It comes across with a nice spicy rye edge and plenty of sweetness. If you find it too HOT at first then you can try adding a teaspoon or two of filtered/spring water to an ounce.

One of my all time favorite neat drinkers is Noahs Mill. It can be hard to find but is well worth the asking price (~$50) and, again, it's high proof (110-120 IIRC). It does not have a spicy rye quality. It is smooth, silky, buttery, sweet and simply delicious - albeit, maybe not as complex as some others.

You can probably tell I like the higher proof spirits (whisky's mainly). I find them more full flavored and a better bang for the buck (afterall, it's like getting 1.5 bottles in a single bottle ) - plus they tend to last longer since I pull smaller quantities each time.

Then again, there are so many options out that it's hard to keep up with them all. Some of the better unique (i.e. non-traditional) whisky's I have are Angel's Envy 95% Rye aged in Rum Casks, and High West's Midwinters Night Dram aged in Port Barrels. OUTSTANDING sippers!