The Gift of Maker's Mark

There are a few special holidays coming up in the next few months. A personalized bottle of Maker's Mark would make a perfect gift! I received this email from Maker's Mark the other day. You can order personalized labels direct from the folks at the distillery and customize your own bottles. 

Our bourbon has always been about sharing special occasions with those special to us. That holds true now more than ever. And with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day not too far around the corner, our personalized labels are the perfect way to give the gift of Maker’s Mark® that’s as unique as they are.  This year skip the flowers or socks and give Mom or Dad the gift that has their name all over it…literally. Here’s how it works:  •    First, visit your favorite retailer and pick up a 750ml bottle of classic Maker’s Mark® Bourbon.  •    Next, visit makersmark.com/personalize to order a one-of-a-kind personalized gift label. You’ll select the occasion, enter the lucky recipient’s name and, for the perfect finish, choose the final style options.  •    Once your order is complete, we’ll send you the personalized label to add to your bottle in one to two weeks. Simply affix the label over the existing standard label when it arrives. •    Finally, make their day remarkable by giving the gift of Maker’s Mark, made custom just for them. Order Labels There’s no cost to order your labels, but be sure to pick up your bottles of classic Maker’s Mark first. Sharing special occasions with those we love is always reason to celebrate. So, visit makersmark.com/personalize today to make the perfect gift for those special folks in your life. Cheers! Jeff at Maker’s Mark Ambassador Coordinator

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021

An exciting announcement from the folks over at Maker's Mark! I'm always a big fan of experimental finishing, so this is one that I am extremely excited about! Plus it will be bottled at cask strength! 

The press release follows.

As always, we want you to be the first to know about exciting news here on Star Hill Farm. In this case, it’s a new development in celebration of one of the most traditional aspects of how we make your whisky. Our Maker’s Mark® Wood Finishing Series has been successful beyond anything we imagined, thanks to you. As you know, each year we’ve focused on one aspect of my grandfather’s taste vision and amplified that using the proprietary finishing process developed by my dad, Bill Samuels, Jr., when he created Maker’s Mark 46®. This year, we’ve taken our inspiration from the distilling process itself: our 36-inch copper column stills (considered small by modern standards), our use of a small rectifier and our practice of never chill filtering our whisky. It’s all done – or not done – in the service of flavor and texture. Because of our still design and our non-chill filtration, our bourbon retains more of the fatty acid esters (FAEs) that give Maker’s Mark® not only its subtle hints of tobacco and dried fruits but also its signature rich and creamy mouthfeel.  Now, after a year of experimenting, our pursuit of amplifying both flavor and texture in our taste vision has resulted in not one, but two all-new Wood Finishing Series expressions. First up will be our 2021 Limited Release: FAE-01, launching this spring. It will be followed later this year with a fall release, our 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02. To the benefit of our spring release, FAE-01, we ended up with a whisky that, as our Master of Maturation, Jane Bowie, says, “tastes just like a barrel warehouse smells.” If you’ve ever visited our little distillery, I think you and your tastebuds know what I’m talking about. This is a bourbon with rich, figgy notes complemented by tobacco undertones and a woodiness that create a unique depth of big, bold flavor. What’s more, in what is certainly a first for us, we seared our FAE-01 stave on one side, leaving the other side raw. The results surprised even us, and further accentuated this release’s one-of-a-kind flavor profile. Our Spring Limited Release, bottled at cask strength of roughly 110 proof, will begin arriving at select retailers nationwide very soon. None of our Wood Finishing Series releases to date have lasted long on store shelves, so I encourage you to check with your favorite retailers for the latest availability. Learn More I’ll have more details on our Fall Limited Release in a few months. Without giving too much away, I can promise that it’s the other side of the coin – or stave – from the spring release. Thank you once again for your continuing support of Maker’s Mark and the people who continue to work (safely) every day to handmake your favorite bourbon.  Best Regards, Rob Samuels Grandson of the Founders Managing Director, Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc.

Whiskey Roundup 01/05/20 to 01/11/20

Every Saturday I go through Twitter with #whiskey and roundup my favorite whiskey articles!

These are may favorites for this week!

I have a cousin with a good stock of whiskey and was able to try Baker's at his house once. It is definitely easy to drink. And it is almost 5 O'clock!

Its 5 O'clock! This was suggested to me and it is good. Love the finish that lasts for a while, but easy on the palate. #whiskey #bakers pic.twitter.com/Io1vGL9npV

— Food, Wine & Whiskey - In Your Own Backyard (@FoodWhiskey) January 10, 2020

Proof that good whiskey can be found anywhere!

"Traverse City Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review / My Bourbon Journey" by MY BOURBON JOURNEY now available on The Bourbon Rundown - https://t.co/Zk7sGgaHsl#BourbonReviews #BourbonVideos#bourbon #whiskey #thebourbonrundown pic.twitter.com/nG7DgN9Goj

— The Bourbon Rundown (@BourbonRundown) January 11, 2020

I've only recently jumped on bandwagon of 100 proof, bottled in bond, inexpensive whiskies, something that I should have started doing a long time ago!

Cheers to the weekend #whiskey pic.twitter.com/Ds4XZ1z96I

— Cam Smith (@NilesWyles) January 10, 2020

I need to get my hands on one. I'm not sure I can truly call myself a Maker's Mark Ambassador without trying everything that they have to offer. 

This is a beautiful sight. Can't wait to dive into this @MakersMark tonight. Let's go!!! #whiskey #makers #bourbon pic.twitter.com/PmUqinZSdl

— Shutt (@shuttdown) January 10, 2020

Maker's Mark

Maker's Mark

A few weeks ago, I was in Dallas for a conference and brought some samples with me to enjoy in the hotel room. Before I went up to the room for the evening, I stopped at the hotel bar to enjoy a Maker's Mark. As a Maker's Mark ambassador, it only seemed right to offer up my tasting notes.

From the Label:

Maker's Mark, America's handmade bourbon whisky, all started because my grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr., a sixth generation Kentucky distiller, didn't care for the whisky his family made. So in 1953 he burned the family recipe - literally - and started over. His taste vision was a soft, rich, creamy, full-bodied yet balanced bourbon. Meanwhile, my grandmother, Margie, was busy designing the bottle you're holding. In fact, it was her idea to hand-dip every bottle in red wax. To this day, making Maker's Mark - in small quantities, a little at a time - is still a family affair. Enjoy

Tasting Notes:

Color:

Maker's Mark has a deep rose gold color

Nose:

On the nose, I get notes of sweet, vanilla, and caramel

Taste:

I didn't get a very complex flavor profile. There were sweet notes of vanilla and caramel

Finish:

Maker's Mark has a short, smooth finish. It doesn't linger in your mouth. Up front, there are some spicy notes that give way to sweet notes on the finish. 

Overall, I like Maker's Mark. It's a nice fireside sipper and goes great in cocktails (I've written about a few of these before). It's interesting to get a little spice out of the bourbon since there is no rye use in the mash bill. Instead, wheat is used giving it a smoother profile.

Maker's Mark Maple Ginger

Maker's Mark Maple Ginger

Certain flavors compliment your whiskey perfectly, and one of those flavors is maple. So for this cocktail recipe, I've taken three simple ingredients, bourbon, maple, and ginger, to make the Maker's Mark Maple Ginger.

The Recipe:

The Tools:

• Old Fashioned Glass
• Bar Spoon
• Jigger

The Ingredients:

• 2 Ounces Bourbon
• 1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup
• Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer

The Method:
In and Old Fashioned glass, add 2 ounces of bourbon. For this recipe, I am using Maker's Mark. Add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. Stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice. Top off with ginger ale or ginger beer. The ginger ale will be sweeter, while the ginger beer will be spicier.

Slainte!

Maker's Mark Lemon Ginger

Maker's Mark Lemon Ginger

The other day, I was looking for a drink that was crisp and refreshing. I've always like to mix whiskey and ginger, but I wanted to take it a step further. I found some lemons and some Maker's Mark, and got to work!


The Recipe

The Tools

• High Ball Glass
• Bar Spoon
• Jigger

The Ingredients

• 2 oz Maker's Mark
• Juice of Half a Lemon, Strained
• Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer
• Ice

The Method
Fill the high ball glass with ice. Add the lemon juice, Maker's Mark, and top off with either ginger ale or ginger beer. Stir to combine. The ginger ale will be a touch sweeter, while the ginger beer will have a little more bite from the ginger. I did not use a high ball glass here. Instead, I used the standard issue Southern Hipster Mason Jar!

Slainte!