2016 Maker's Mark American Pharoah Limited Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskey 1Lt Signed

2016 Maker's Mark American Pharoah Limited Edition Autographed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 1Lt is a breathtaking, museum-grade masterpiece of sports and distilling history, engineered to immortalize one of the most stunning athletic feats of the modern era. Released in May 2016 in close collaboration with Ahmed Zayat and Zayat Stables, this rare 1-Liter expression pays a direct visual tribute to the legendary bay colt who broke a grueling 37-year drought to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first horse in history to secure racing's elusive "Grand Slam". While standard bottles from this run are highly coveted, this ultra-premium autographed variant features the authenticated trackside hand-signatures of Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza, legendary trainer Bob Baffert, and Zayat Stables owner Ahmed Zayat, making it an irreplaceable Holy Grail of pure sports Americana.

The design philosophy behind this high-intent collector’s item was meticulously engineered to mirror the exact aesthetic DNA of horse racing heritage. Moving completely away from the brand's classic clear glass presentation, the liquid is fully encased inside a stunning, opaque, vibrant blue-coated bottle silhouette. The striking, hand-dipped turquoise-blue wax seal mimics the famous racing silks worn by Espinoza during the historic 2015 campaign—spanning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Adorned with a custom yellow ribbon sporting bold blue polka dots, this limited bottling directed a portion of all proceeds toward the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville to fund its critical non-profit educational and historical preservation efforts.

Beneath the legendary signatures and commemorative blue finish rests the timeless, small-batch wheated recipe crafted with unhurried care at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky. Rebuffing the sharp, peppery nose-burn that dominates traditional rye-forward bourbons, founder Bill Samuels Sr.’s historic 1953 mash bill relies heavily on local yellow corn balanced by soft red winter wheat and malted barley. Cooked using iron-free, calcium-rich water sourced directly from the distillery’s limestone-fed spring lakes, the new-make spirit is double-distilled in antique copper stills before entering new charred American white oak casks. Every single barrel is manually hand-rotated across multi-story rackhouses over the course of hot Kentucky summers, achieving a smooth, impeccably balanced uniform maturity that automated industrial shortcuts can never replicate.

In the glass, the liquid displays a rich, deep golden amber radiance with a brilliant copper cast and long, slow-clinging oil legs. The bouquet opens with a soft, exceptionally expressive nose, greeting the senses with immediate waves of rich vanilla cream, dark brown sugar, and warm caramel custard, balanced gracefully by underlying hints of candy corn, fresh orchard fruits, and light toasted oak. On the palate, a smooth, medium-to-full-bodied mouthfeel coats the tongue with decadent layers of caramel cream, vanilla frosting, and sweet honeyed malt, before seamlessly yielding to warm cinnamon bark and complex baking spices. The finish is remarkably sustained, clean, and comforting, slowly tapering off with a lingering trail of vanilla bean, old wood smoke, and soft, beautifully integrated wood tannins.

• Size: 1 Litre (1Lt / 1000ml)
• Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
• Age: NAS (Meticulously aged to taste, typically spanning 6 to 7 years)
• Origin: Loretto, Kentucky, United States
• Distillery: Maker's Mark Distillery (Star Hill Farm)
• Style/Class: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Autographed Collector's Edition)
• Composition: Traditional Wheated Mash Bill (70% Corn, 16% Soft Red Winter Wheat, 14% Malted Barley)
• Cask/Aging: Aged in new charred American white oak barrels; fire-charred staves with a completely manual warehouse barrel rotation program
• Series/Edition: 2016 American Pharoah 2015 Grand Slam Winner Commemorative Limited Edition (Officially Trackside Autographed by Victor Espinoza, Bob Baffert, and Ahmed Zayat)
• Tasting Notes: Rich vanilla, warm caramel custard, honeyed malt, candy corn, fresh orchard fruit, soft cinnamon, toasted oak char, gentle warming finish