Maker's Mark Distillery sits on Hardin Creek near Loretto, Kentucky, where Charles Burks is thought to have begun distilling around 1805. Bill Samuels Sr. bought the run-down plant in 1953 and in 1954 began distilling a bourbon made with wheat in place of rye.
The extra wood finish adds complexity, bringing caramelized nuts, forest honey, bitter chocolate, coffee, nutmeg and clove, with a long, cinnamon-laced finish.
A lovely, round bourbon highlighting vanilla and sweetness, balanced by aniseed, bitter almond, clove, toasted wood and dark roasted coffee.
