Maker's Mark

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Maker's Mark's origin began when T. William 'Bill' Samuels Sr. purchased the Burks' Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, for $35,000 on October 1, 1953. Production began in 1954, and the first run was bottled in 1958 under the brand's dipped red wax seal (U.S. trademark serial number 73526578). T. William Samuels' wife, Marjorie 'Margie' Samuels, gave the whiskey its name, drew its label, and thought up the wax dipping that gives the bottle its distinctive look. It was introduced to the market in 1959. The distillery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1974, and designated a National Historic Landmark on December 16, 1980, listed as 'Burks' Distillery', the first distillery in America to be recognized while the landmark buildings were in active production. In the 1960s and 1970s, Maker's Mark was widely marketed with the tag line, 'It tastes expensive ... and is.'

Reader's Guide

Maker's Mark is significant as a pioneering wheated bourbon, using red winter wheat (16%) instead of rye in its mash bill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. During planning, Samuels allegedly developed seven candidate mash bills and made a loaf of bread from each recipe; the one with no rye was judged the best tasting. Samuels also received considerable assistance and recipes from Stitzel-Weller owner Pappy Van Winkle. Maker's Mark is aged for around six years, with barrels rotated from upper to lower levels of aging warehouses to even out temperature variations. The brand was sold multiple times: to Hiram Walker & Sons in 1981, then to Seagram in 1987, Allied-Domecq in 2001, Fortune Brands in 2005, and finally to Suntory in 2014, becoming part of Beam Suntory (later Suntory Global Spirits). On February 9, 2013, the company announced a plan to reduce proof from 90 to 84, citing supply issues, but reversed the decision on February 17 after a strong negative reaction from customers. The brand has released variations including Cask Strength (2014, proof fluctuating between 53% and 58% abv), Maker's 46 (47% alcohol by volume, flavored by seared French oak staves), and Maker's Mark 101 (bottled at 101 U.S. proof, introduced at duty-free shops in 2018 and at the distillery in June 2019). It is one of a handful of American-made whiskies that uses the Scottish spelling 'whisky'. The distillery is part of the American Whiskey Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and its Bourbon House & Lounge opened in Louisville in late 2004/early 2005.

Did You Know?

• Maker's Mark uses the Scottish spelling 'whisky' rather than the predominant American 'whiskey', along with George Dickel and Old Forester.
• The distillery was the first in America to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark while its landmark buildings were in active production, designated on December 16, 1980.
• During the 2013 proof-reduction controversy, the company reversed its decision after just eight days due to a strong negative reaction from customers.
• Marjorie 'Margie' Samuels named the whiskey, drew its label, and came up with the distinctive red wax dipping.
• Maker's Mark rotates barrels from upper to lower levels of aging warehouses during aging to even out temperature differences.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

- Some people mistakenly believe that Maker’s Mark uses the American spelling “whiskey,” but the brand actually uses the Scottish spelling “whisky,” as stated in the facts. - It is a common misconception that the wax seal originated solely as a marketing gimmick or practical innovation by the distillery itself, but in fact, Marjorie “Margie” Samuels came up with the wax dipping and gave the bottle its distinctive look. - Some may assume that when the company proposed lowering the proof in 2013, it stood by the change, but the facts show the company reversed its decision after just eight days due to a strong negative customer reaction.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

Maker’s Mark endures as an icon of American bourbon craftsmanship, distinguished by its wheated recipe, unique bottle design, and the family-driven innovation that gave the brand its name and signature wax seal. Its recognition as a National Historic Landmark while remaining in active production underscores how tradition and continuity can coexist, making the distillery not just a producer of whisky but a living piece of Kentucky’s cultural heritage.