Bringing a Taste Vision to Life The Maker’s Mark Private Selection

The Maker’s Mark Private Selection Experience

Lainie Thies, Contributor, Beam Suntory

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The Maker's Mark Private Selection™ experience is unlike any other: a first-of-its-kind barrel program that allows participants to create a one-of-a-kind Maker's Mark® expression that is truly their own. This experience finishes fully matured cask strength Maker's in a single barrel that has been personalized with a custom selection of oak staves, mirroring the innovative process originally used by Bill Samuels, Jr. (son of the founders and 7th generation whisky maker) when he created Maker's Mark 46®.

A QUICK HISTORY OF MAKER'S MARK

In 1953, in Loretto, Ky., Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small batches, using soft red winter wheat to enhance the softness and sweetness. He then rotated each barrel by hand for consistency and, finally, aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a "commodity" into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker's Mark continues to make its bourbon the same way.

At his side, co-founder and wife Margie Samuels left her own indelible mark on the brand. While Bill developed the smooth-tasting, wheat-based Maker's Mark Bourbon, Margie is responsible for the bourbon's name and label, the standout bottle shape, iconic and signature look that still involves hand-dipping each bottle in red wax to this day, and so much more. In recent years, Maker's Mark has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio, including Maker's Mark 46®, Maker's Mark® Cask Strength, and Maker's Mark® Private Selection, the industry's first-ever custom barrel program.

Today, Maker's Mark is also the largest distillery in the world to achieve B Corp™ Certification, a reflection of the brand's dedication toward building a more inclusive and sustainable economy and signaling a major milestone on the brand's environmentally conscious mission.

HOW MAKER'S 46 PAVED THE WAY FOR PRIVATE SELECTION

The journey towards Private Selection all began with the beloved Maker's Mark 46, a contemporary interpretation of the iconic Maker's Mark Bourbon. French oaked for layers of flavor, Maker's 46® is the taste vision of Bill Samuels, Jr. Creating his signature bourbon required a first-of-its-kind finishing that begins with fully matured cask strength Maker's Mark.

Jane Bowie poses in front a table full of private selection picks

Ten seared French oak staves are fitted into the barrel before the whisky is finished to maturity under ideal conditions in the distillery's limestone cellar. The result is an easy-to-sip bourbon with notes of caramel, vanilla, and baking spice that greet the palate in layers.

The idea of following Bill Jr.’s innovative process when creating Maker’s Mark 46 inspired Rob Samuels, Eighth-generation Whisky Maker & Managing Director, and the distillery team to create a program that allowed retailers to make their own Maker’s as well. As former Maker’s Mark Head of Innovation & Blending, Jane Bowie helped to lead one of the industry’s most innovative programs in 2015 – the Maker’s Mark Private Selection Experience. Maker’s was the first to spearhead every aspect of the Private Selection Experience, including wood and barrel education and innovation, and we are excited for what is to come in the future of this signature program.

THE PRIVATE SELECTION PROCESS

Maker’s Mark brought true innovation to the bourbon industry with the introduction of the Private Selection process, which begins with cask-strength Maker's Mark and is aged for nine additional weeks in barrels specially fitted with 10 wood-finishing staves in the distillery's limestone cellar. The barrel customization process uses five different stave types and results in over 1,001 different possible combinations. All expressions of Maker's Mark Private Selection are bottled at cask strength – which ranges from 107-114 proof.

The Maker's Mark tasting experience, complete with the finishing staves

For ReserveBar, the Maker’s Mark Private Selection represented the third selection for the Topflight Series program. A selection panel was invited to Loretto to learn key details of the Maker’s Mark history and processes, seeing the techniques first hand, and even taking the time to thief their own cask strength sample to serve as the base for the Private Selection program. After an in-depth review of the stave options and flavor profiles they represent, the panel walked through five variations of 10-stave groups, finally landing one that they believed would produce an incredible tasting experience. The result was a Maker’s Mark Private Selection that included 4 Seared French Cuvée, 2 Maker's Mark 46, and 4 Roasted French Mendiant staves.

With Private Selection, Maker’s Mark continues its tradition of pursuing one's personal taste vision. The wood-finishing process allows for experimentation and enhancement of a full-flavored Maker's Mark. Learn more about the Maker’s Mark Private Selection program here. And be sure to take a moment to discover the latest releases now available in the Topflight Series Single Barrel program.