By Helen Benefield Billings
When you’re looking for a unique and downright exceptional whisky, it’s hard to beat Maker’s Mark. The opportunity to add your own personal touch to a barrel of the revered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey makes it even more exceptional. Before we get to our journey to the distillery in Loretto, Kentucky to dip the distinctive red seal, let’s examine the many factors that play into constructing this smooth, handcrafted spirit.
Start with the storied history of co-founders Bill Samuels, Sr. and wife Margie Samuels, and their desire to construct smooth bourbon to share with friends and family. In 1953, this dynamic duo modified an old family recipe and was hands-on in the creation of this internationally acclaimed brand known for its certain “front-of-palate sweetness.” Margie Samuels created the Maker’s Mark name and label, as well as the instantly recognizable signature red-wax-dipped necks. She was truly a trailblazer in her day.
Segue to the actual precision and consistency of its production, year after year. Maker’s Mark has been carefully handcrafted for three generations. “Handcrafted” is a term that is thrown around liberally these days, but Maker’s Mark insists on keeping the process pure and true to its original roots. Even though it uses techniques that are quite labor intensive, the brand refuses to hand over time-honored methods to automation.
It all begins with red winter wheat (as opposed to rye), corn and barley as its basis. Next up is exceptional filtration, for which they use on-site sourced limestone water. Unique yeast fermentation tanks made from 100-year-old cypress planks, along with the double distillation process taking place in double copper barrel stills, ensure Maker’s Mark refined and distinctive taste.
My husband Don, a fine spirit connoisseur, signed up to participate in the Maker’s Mark Ambassador Program some seven years ago. Having his name etched onto one of these exclusive 525-pound bourbon barrels was too intriguing and, frankly, too much fun to pass up. His barrel would go through the same meticulous aging process as others in production on site in Loretto. Periodic updates were sent via mail and email to Don throughout every year, with special gifts being sent during the holidays, including festive red ear muffs perfectly sized for the Maker’s Mark bottle in our home bar. I delighted in dressing up our Maker’s bottle at Christmas and taking photos, while throwing together the obligatory eggnog or Don’s favorite classic Manhattan.
Anticipation grew until we received notification in late 2018 that his barrel was indeed ready for consumption. A March 2019 date was set for the trip up to Kentucky to “fetch the juice.” With great expectation Don and I set out to claim the ultimate prize: his very own whisky collection, complete with personalized labels. With the help of our guide, Christopher, Don was schooled in the proper art of hand-dipping the bottle neck into the famous red wax (just about half way down), then quickly swirling several times before promptly tilting sideways and placing each individual bottle in an upright position.
This remarkable concept to attract brand ambassadors is wildly successful and a truly brilliant way to draw upon consumers’ already existing enthusiasm for the Maker’s brand. There’s no question that Don had a distinct feeling of satisfaction and pride as his very own private label Maker’s Mark bottles were loaded into our SUV for the long drive back to the Golden Isles. If you too are interested in becoming a Maker’s Mark Ambassador, visit their website at makersmark.com to start your own barrel journey.
