Maker’s Mark

Maker's Mark was founded in 1953 when Bill Samuels Sr. bought a distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. The first bottles of Maker's Mark bourbon were released in 1958. Today the distillery belongs to Suntory Global Spirits, formerly Beam Suntory.

What sets Maker's Mark apart is its mash bill: it uses red winter wheat instead of rye as the flavouring grain alongside corn and malted barley. This gives a softer, rounder bourbon with less spice than many rye-based bourbons. Every bottle is sealed with red wax dipped by hand.

The core bottling is the classic Bourbon, with 101 Proof as a stronger version. Cellar Aged is a yearly release of older bourbon rested in a limestone cellar, and Star Hill Farm uses wheat grown on the distillery's own land. Private Selection bottlings are finished with combinations of wood staves chosen by retailers or venues, so each one is different.

Maker's Mark is bottled by the distillery itself, and buyers will find it only under the Maker's Mark name.