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OUR FAMILY'S
STORY
The Samuels family spent decades perfecting our whisky and we wouldn't have it any other way. Maker’s Mark has stood the test of time ever since.
Where the Maker’s Mark Legacy Began
The Maker’s Mark brand was a vision before it became a bourbon. It started with a ceremonial burning of their old family recipe – and from this Bill Samuels, Sr. worked to create a bourbon without the burn.
THE MARK OF THE MAKER:
The First Refined Bourbon
MEET THE
Samuels family
Maker's Mark began with one family's quest to create a bourbon they enjoyed drinking and sharing with friends. As the world’s first premium bourbon, we continue to change the industry.
Bill Samuels, Sr.: The Engineer-
Turned-
Craftsman
Bill Samuels, Sr., our engineer-turned-craftsman who elevated bourbon with his flavor vision.
Margie Samuels:
The Creative Business-
woman
Margie Samuels created packaging that would honor her husband’s handmade bourbon. The shape of the bottle, look of the label, our signature red wax, and even the Maker’s Mark name exist because of her. Margie is also credited with inventing bourbon tourism. For all her outstanding achievements, including being the first woman ever directly involved with a distillery, she was inducted in to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.
Bill Samuels, Jr.: The Innovator
His pioneering wood stave finishing process set the course for Maker’s Mark’s continual innovation today.
Rob Samuels: The Naturalist
As an Eighth Generation Distillery, Rob Samuels has long been making his mark through the land itself. In his current role of Managing Director, Rob’s mission is to make Star Hill Farm a sustainable, culturally rich, and endearing homeplace. He’s accomplishing all of this while meeting the world’s increased demand for whisky and ensuring every sip of Maker’s tastes as good as the first.
OUR
Flavor Vision
Red Winter Wheat
This one changed the way we think of bourbon, all because one man changed the way he thought about making it. Bill Samuels, Sr. simply wanted a whisky he would enjoy drinking. Never bitter or sharp, Maker's Mark® is made with soft red winter wheat (instead of the usual rye) for a one-of-a-kind, full-flavored bourbon that's smooth and balanced.
Bill found his ideal mashbill in the kitchen, cleverly testing mashbills through bread in order to quickly evaluate recipes without distilling and aging. It's the red winter wheat that imparts the front-of-palate sweetness that's quintessentially Maker's.
Rotated by hand and aged to taste
To ensure consistency, we rotate every barrel by hand and age our bourbon to taste, not time in our solar-powered warehouses. Each and every bottle of Maker's is still hand-dipped in our signature red wax at our distillery in Loretto, KY, just like Bill Sr. wanted.
FOUNDING
Star Hill Farm
The Samuels family chose Star Hill Farm for its pristine water source, a spring-fed, limestone-filtered lake ideal for making bourbon. The limestone shelf where the distillery is located is key to crafting the unique taste of Maker’s Mark – the only distillery with its own water source and watershed.
Kentucky limestone filters out iron from water, which is unpleasant in bourbon. The pure calcium- and magnesium-rich water surrounding the distillery makes better drinking water and a better sour mash in which yeast can flourish.
THE SANCTUARY AT THE SOURCE
Star Hill and the land surrounding our farm is full of diverse plant and wildlife. The natural resources all around Star Hill Farm help nourish and protect our water reserve.
We're advancing water-saving measures by improving and reducing runoff, adding a secondary lake for drought protection, strengthening local biodiversity, and supporting habitats for threatened species like bald eagles.
Historic and Enchanting
It's impossible not to be captivated by the beauty at Star Hill Farm. Beyond it's practicality, Bill and Margie were no doubt enchanted by the lush environment surrounding it. Maker's Mark distillery calls Star Hill Farm home and it's why we work so tirelessly to preserve it.
Our partners have each achieved Regenified™ certification already, and we're spearheading the Maker's Mark Regenerative Alliance that aims to support 1,000,000 acres of farmland.
Wheated Bourbon,
Balanced Without Bite
Smooth, full-bodied flavor and a distinct hand-dipped red wax seal define our bourbon bottles.
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Maker's Family
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Our Bourbons
Bourbon tastes from classic to innovative expressions
