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Not every collector can boast of a bottle with a wax-filled neck and a convex stamp on the glass. S IV – designation that Maker’s Mark was created by the fourth generation of the Samuels family. Although there is an unfortunate mistake here: the designer, the wife of Bill Samuels, was left-handed, making up the Roman numeral, she registered the stick-one on the wrong side. It should be “S VI” because actually Bill and Marge are the sixth generation of the Samuels. Bill did not immediately notice the mistake and therefore did not begin to tell his wife about it, so as not to upset her.
Historical reference. We are talking about a drink from the only distillery, which is officially recognized as a national treasure of the United States. Maker’s Mark is an exclusive straight whiskey, the first bottle of the brand was sold 60 years ago, although the history of the family business began in 1840. Then the family from Britain moved to Kentucky and built a distillery. 4 generations of Samuels produced small batches of bourbon according to a family recipe until 1919, when Prohibition was introduced in the country and distilleries were closed.
20 years after the repeal of Prohibition, Bill Samuels, a member of the sixth generation of British settlers, decided to take up the production of whiskey. And the first thing he did was to destroy the family heirloom, the recipe. Bill started from scratch, scorning existing bourbons, experimenting with materials and methods, dreaming of an aristocratic drink with a delicate aroma and rich taste.
Samuels managed to create a balanced grain blend after abandoning the rye familiar to bourbons. His whiskey is made from corn, barley malt and wheat. The technological process at the Makers Mark distillery, which is now led by the master of the eighth generation of the Samuels – Rob, is still different from the generally accepted in American distilleries.
Production features
- Corn. Corn and wheat come from neighboring farms, where the land is rich in limestone, and therefore the grain has a mild, delicate taste. Barley malt is prepared without catalysts and enzymes – the fermentation process is natural.
- Roll mill. This age-old method allows the grain to be processed while maintaining optimal moisture levels, which makes the malt taste mild.
- Yeast. The distillery uses only its own yeast, while other plants simply buy it.
- Distillation. In production, open ovens are used for better flavoring of grain and double distillation, characteristic of Scotch whiskey – ordinary bourbons are distilled once. Therefore, Maker’s Mark is less oily than American whiskey, the aroma is lighter and more pleasant.
- Fermentation and maturation. The extract of the drink takes place traditionally in oak barrels, but the fermentation tanks are made of cypress. While other distilleries use stainless steel tanks.
Maker’s Mark design nuances
This is the most recognizable American brand: the shape of the bottle is more like cognac, the neck and cork are filled with red wax, and the label seems to be a yellowed sheet torn from a notebook.
The designer of the brand was the wife of Bill Samuels – Marge. She also came up with the name of the drink, abandoning the traditional idea of using the name of the manufacturer or the name of the area in the name. The whiskey is named “Master’s Mark”, which sounds like a challenge to other drinks, and further distances the Maker’s Mark.
But the name of the manufacturer is still used in the design – there is a convex stamp in the form of a wax seal on the bottle. In the center there are 3 characters: the letter S – Samuels, and the Roman numeral IV, indicating the fourth generation of the family.
The label is still made by hand: it is cut on an old machine, and the inscriptions are made on an ancient typewriter.
Maker’s Mark Bourbon Features
- Limited edition. The annual batch of Maker’s Mark is small – up to 20 barrels, most of the operations are done manually, with strict quality control at all stages of production.
- “Floating” holding periods. The maturity of whiskey is determined not by date, but by taste: the master tries the drink and decides whether it can already be bottled, or to extend the stay in oak barrels. Terms can vary from 5,5 years to 8.
- Each release is unique. Formally, Maker’s Mark is a single brand of whiskey, but last year’s batch may differ from the one released 5 years ago. The taste, aroma and color of the drink is affected by water, grain, the quality and ripening period of which depend on weather conditions, the age and properties of wooden containers, temperature and humidity during the ripening period. The handwriting of each party depends on all these factors.
- Starting with Bill Samuels, Maker’s Mark makers refuse to even compare their brainchild to other bourbons, claiming that the drink is as far from American whiskey in taste and character as cognac.
Interesting Facts
Despite the desire to distance themselves from bourbons, Maker’s Mark often uses the popularity of the most famous American whiskeys in advertising its product. Moreover, this advertisement is usually ironic. So in one of them, advertisers found a man named Jack Daniels, photographed him with a bottle of his drink and signed an old-style black and white photo: “Jack Daniels drinks Maker’s Mark.”
On another occasion, when Jack Daniels launched a whiskey-flavored beer under its own brand, Maker’s Mark representatives used a picture as advertising: an aluminum beer can with characteristic red wax drips and the inscription: “Maker’s Mark beer. This will never happen.” (Maker’s Mark beer. Never happens).
Whiskey Maker’s Mark – one and without variations
Maker’s Mark, 45%. Whiskey is golden in color, which looks like cognac behind the dark glass of the bottle. The drink has a complex aroma with pronounced notes of vanilla, exotic fruits and oak. The soft taste is dominated by hints of honey and vanilla, woody notes are typical for a long aftertaste.
