Bourbon - MAKER'S MARK - 45%
Maker's Mark is a Bourbon brand and distillery located in Loretto, Kentucky . The company in its modern form was founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels Senior , although the distillery has had various owners since 1805 and the Samuels family has been involved in whiskey production since 1780. The family still runs the operation, although the distillery was sold to Hiram Walker & Son in 1981 and is now part of the Beam Suntory portfolio.
Maker's Mark is a wheat-based bourbon, with no rye in the recipe. Other points of difference in production include a roller mill to stop grain burning, slow cooking in open cookers, and the use of their own in-house yeast. The spirit is distilled to 65% in three copper beer columns with doublers, which are considered essential in establishing the character of the "new-make" (the base of the alcohol). The oak barrels for Maker's Mark are air dried and very lightly charred to give a lighter style to avoid overly sweet flavors.