The Whisky Drop by Maker's Mark December 2021

To this day, we make our signature bourbon exactly as our founders did when laying down the first barrel in 1953 – by hand, with the same recipe and even the same 110 entry proof. That last part is important here and something not many can say.

This drop (and, spoiler, the next one, too) will take you through a little of the experimentation we did along the way. It’s all about exploring the importance of the 110 entry proof point and how it lets the flavors and Bill, Sr.’s taste vision shine through. Your first bottle is Maker’s Mark® bottled from 110 entry proof barrels that have aged longer and in a very controlled environment, and the second bumps it up to 115 entry proof.

Now, when you pour yourself a glass or make a cocktail from these different bourbons, you can just call it an experiment. Don’t forget to read on to reference and compare your notes to ours. That’s just good science.

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We’ve also included two posters. Your next drop will complete the set and give you one overarching picture of our barrel entry proof experiment – or part of what we call the DNA Project. So, make sure you’re all set for the next one.

And finally, we’re giving you the opportunity to hear firsthand what these expressions are all about in the words of Master of Maturation Jane Bowie herself. Join and watch Jane on December 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Cheers,

The Whisky Drop by Maker’s Mark™ Team WATCH THE TASTING

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WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY. PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY. Maker's Mark® Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 57%–64% Alc./Vol. ©2022 Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc. Loretto, KY

TACKLING A TASTE VISION Whenever we set out to create a new bourbon, we begin with a taste vision. This is something that began with none other than Bill Samuels, Sr. Right after setting his 170-year-old family recipe on fire, he got to work on finding a bourbon that wouldn’t blow your ears off (his exact words). And he didn’t compromise till he realized that vision. It’s the same story today. We decide what we’re looking for and keep at it until it’s in a bottle – all while staying true to his original process and what he envisioned all those years ago.

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#1

WHISKY DROP

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Entry Proof 110 This is the standard entry proof every single bottle of Maker’s Mark® is made from. It gives you that wonderful creamy caramel with dark fruit, baking spice and oak, which is followed up with a round and viscous mouthfeel.

AROMA: Big notes of caramel, vanilla and baking spices.

TASTE: Creamy caramel with dark fruit, baking spices and oak. A round and viscous mouthfeel.

FINISH: Pleasant, lingering, subtle spice and creamy finish.

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#2

WHISKY DROP

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Entry Proof 115 At an entry proof just a tad higher than our standard proof, things already start to change. You’ll notice more earthy tones along notes of leather and toffee. The toffee carries over some of the sweetness, but overall, it’s not quite as complex.

AROMA: Herbaceous and chocolate.

TASTE: Earthy punctuated with notes of leather and toffee.

FINISH: Earthy, dry finish.

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#3

WHISKY DROP

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Entry Proof 120 Taking it up another five proof notches, the nose becomes a little bit brighter and fuller than the previous two with fruit and burnt sugar. However, you won’t find it as sweet – instead getting a bright and herbaceous flavor with notes of dry spice. A different kind of tasty.

AROMA: Bright fruit and burnt sugar.

TASTE: Bright and herbaceous with note of dry spices.

FINISH: Brighter, rounder finish.

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#4

WHISKY DROP

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Entry Proof 125 And, finally, we’ve reached all the way to the max entry proof. This is definitely the most wood forward of the list. It brings out dark tobacco and almond with a dry, sharp finish. You may find it a little more astringent overall – but no less enjoyable.

AROMA: Dried fruit and wood.

TASTE: Dark tobacco and almond.

FINISH: Sharper, dry spice and leather.

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Q&A

A BARREL ENTRY PROOF EXPERIMENT with Master of Maturation

Jane Bowie

WHAT PROMPTED THIS EXPERIMENT? Today, we’ve got the science, the technology and the team to understand some of the choices Bill and Margie made for us all those years ago. Our innovation department spends our time studying where flavor comes from. And while entry proof is one of those things we knew mattered, no one could really tell you exactly how much or the impact. So, eight years ago, the team decided to dive into that and more deeply understand the flavor lever that is entry proof.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF THESE EXPERIMENTS? In the Innovation Department, we’re sort of being disruptors at Maker’s Mark. We’re getting in there and asking questions. Does this matter? How does it matter? Why does it matter? What is its role in the whole process? We have so many experiments that are going on that are isolating choices and variables. And if we can start isolating every single flavor impact from the wood to the grain, soil, crops, water, mill or cooking, we can understand and use those flavor levers as we go to make new, more interesting whiskies in the future – whether that’s in a decade or a century.

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DOES THIS GO AGAINST THE FOUNDERS’ VISION FOR MAKER’S MARK? We think this project affirms our founders’ vision for classic Maker’s Mark® by explaining for the first time why some of the choices they made matter – like barreling at 110 proof when it would be more cost efficient now to barrel at a higher proof. I don’t think Bill and Margie would have wanted us to rest on our laurels. We truly want to understand our product at every turn. We honor tradition, but we don’t want to just do things for the sake of history and tradition.

That’s where you can be very thoughtful in the innovation space.

You hang on to the things that matter and respect them – and they inspire you – but you keep pushing forward and keep pioneering.

WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU FOUND? We were shocked to discover that one choice in your recipe makes all the difference in the world. I think people want to think about flavor as linear – like what percentage of flavor does the yeast or barrel give. But it doesn’t work like that. Everything compounds.

And it’s all building as you go through. So that single choice of entry proof has impacted everything we do.

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE FOR MAKING THESE BOTTLES? We wanted these barrels to be as similar as possible. The liquid all came from the exact same batch – we just cut it at different points

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to go into the barrel. These were aged in a large warehouse with seven floors where we typically hand-rotate barrels from floor to floor to give each barrel the same life cycle. But for the sake of consistency and to reduce any extra variables, we aged these barrels on the fourth floor, which doesn’t rotate. And because this is experimental, we ended up aging the barrels a bit longer than usual.

ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO MAKE MORE? This all started out as research, but because what we found was so interesting, we wanted to share what we have with as many people as we could. We’ll never do this again. At the end of the day, it was simply an experiment. We’ve learned. We’ve documented it. We got what we needed. Now, armed with this new knowledge, we’re moving on.

WHY NOT BARREL SIGNATURE MAKER’S MARK® AT HIGHER ENTRY PROOFS? It’s true there are certain economic benefits that come from barreling at higher proofs. Back when the max legal entry proof was raised to 125, it would have made business sense to change. But we’re in the business of making great whisky, and changing our entry proof would have meant changing our great whisky. So, we decided to stay with 110. Because if I blindfolded you and I cut a 125 entry proof barrel to be bottled at 90 proof, there’s no way you’re going to guess that whisky is Maker’s Mark, because it really isn’t.