🥃 Maker's Mark

Maker's Mark is a Kentucky bourbon from the town of Loretto, founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels Sr. The mash bill is 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat and 14% malted barley, with no rye. The classic version is 45% ABV (90 proof). Since 2024 the owner has been Suntory Global Spirits.

On 1 October 1953 Bill Samuels Sr. bought the Burks' Distillery in Loretto. Production began in 1954, and the first bottling took place in 1958 (one source gives 1959). The name and the red wax on the cork were the idea of his wife, Margie Samuels. The brand is spelled "whisky" (without an "e"), unlike many American producers. In 1980 the distillery was declared a US National Historic Landmark.

Ownership has changed several times: in 1981 the brand was bought by Hiram Walker. The later sequence is disputed: according to some sources it was Allied in 1987, according to others Seagram (with Allied only from 2001). In 2005 the owner became Fortune Brands, in 2014 Beam Suntory, and since 2024 Suntory Global Spirits. So the "owner" field left empty in the catalogue should be filled in exactly this way. In 2013 the brand tried to lower the strength to 42% but reversed the decision.

Maturation lasts about six years with no age statement; barrels are moved between levels of the warehouse. Maker's 46 (47%) is finished in a barrel with ten seared staves of French oak from the Vosges. Cask Strength has been released since 2014, and the 101 since 2018.

Why this matters to you. Although Maker's Mark is softer than many bourbons thanks to the wheat, it is at least 45% ABV. Maker's 46 and Cask Strength differ considerably in taste and strength, so read the percentage. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.