Maker's Mark

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 45% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Maker's Mark is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon whose recipe uses red winter wheat in place of the rye commonly found in many bourbons. Combined with corn and malted barley, this gives it a softer spice profile while retaining the sweetness and oak structure of new charred casks. The 0.7-litre version is bottled at 45% and bears a hand-applied red wax seal.

Cherry, caramel and delicate vanilla shape the bourbon, accompanied by a hint of gentle spice and a velvety mouthfeel. Maker's Mark judges cask maturity by taste rather than a fixed age. During maturation, the casks are moved by hand within the warehouse to expose them to different temperature zones and help them develop as evenly as possible.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, sweet oak and vanilla mingle with bright fruit notes and wheat.
• Palate: The bourbon is sweet on the palate, with oak, vanilla and fruity notes balancing one another.
• Finish: The finish is soft and creamy, fading cleanly with mild spice.

Distillery/Bottler:

The Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, produces the bourbon at Star Hill Farm. Bill Samuels Sr. developed the wheat-led recipe, while Margie Samuels shaped the name, bottle design and red wax seal. Bill initially tested the grain combinations by baking bread, allowing him to compare recipes without having to distil and mature whisky each time. A spring-fed lake and the underlying limestone were important reasons for choosing the site.

The distillery uses a yeast strain maintained since its beginnings and distils twice in copper equipment. New American white oak for the casks is first seasoned outdoors and then charred. This preparation reduces bitter tannins, while charring contributes to the vanilla notes. Cask selection is guided by the whisky's taste. Every bottle is dipped into red wax by hand at the distillery.

Facts: