Maker's Mark

Maker's Mark is one of America's most iconic wheated bourbon brands — produced at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky since the brand's founding in 1953 by Bill Samuels Sr. and his wife Margie Samuels. Unlike most Kentucky bourbons that use rye in the mash bill, Maker's Mark uses soft red winter wheat as the secondary grain — Bill and Margie arrived at this unique recipe through extensive bread-baking experiments before settling on a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% soft red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. The first Maker's Mark bottle was hand-dipped on May 8, 1958, regular bottling began August 1958, and the brand launched to the public in 1959 after six years of aging. Maker's Mark is also famous for its hand-dipped red wax bottle seal (invented by Margie Samuels using her artist background and chemistry degree, and federally trademarked in 1985) and the Scottish spelling "whisky" (without the "e") in honor of the Samuels family's Scottish heritage. Cana Wine Co. stocks 117 Maker's Mark products spanning vintages from 1997 through 2026 — one of the deepest Maker's Mark catalogs in American retail, including the brand's flagship Keeneland, Greats of the Gate, Triple Crown, NFL/MLB team, and innovation series commemoratives.

Maker's Mark was founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels Sr. in Happy Hollow near Loretto, Kentucky, when he purchased a 200-acre plot that included the historic Burks Spring Distillery property (originally a grist mill operation established by Charles Burks via August 5, 1805 petition to dam Hardin Creek; Burks Spring Distilling Co. was formally formed in 1905; Prohibition shut the operation down in 1919). The Samuels family bourbon legacy dates back to Robert Samuels (1755-1822), a Revolutionary War veteran who served in George Washington's Continental Army and was commissioned by Washington himself to make whisky for the troops. After honorable discharge, Robert received a 60-acre corn writ near Bardstown, Kentucky in 1784, moved his family and a 60-gallon copper still to Central Kentucky, and started Samuels family bourbon-making. The brand has been led by three consecutive generations of Samuels family at Star Hill Farm: Bill Samuels Sr. (1953-1975), Bill Samuels Jr. (1975-2011, retiring at age 70 to become Chairman Emeritus), and Rob Samuels (Chief Operating Officer from October 2010, took over leadership upon Bill Jr.'s 2011 retirement, currently Managing Director). In 2014, Suntory Holdings acquired Beam Inc. (Maker's Mark's parent company) in a $16 billion deal, but the Samuels family continues to lead production at Star Hill Farm.

Maker's Mark uses the Scottish spelling "whisky" (without the "e") in honor of the Samuels family's Scottish heritage. The vast majority of American whiskey is spelled with the "e" (Irish/American convention), so Maker's Mark's choice to drop the "e" is a deliberate brand identity decision that reflects the Samuels' Scottish ancestry. Bill Samuels Sr. chose this convention from the brand's 1953 founding, and it has been maintained across every Maker's Mark expression including the modern Cellar Aged, Wood Finishing Series, Star Hill Farm Whisky, and USA 250 Anniversary releases.

The name "Maker's Mark" was conceived by Margie Samuels, inspired by her collection of fine English pewter — in pewter terminology, a "maker's mark" is the symbol of handcrafted quality stamped onto each piece by the artisan who made it. Margie wanted that implication of handcrafted quality to define her husband's bourbon brand. Margie also personally designed the iconic Maker's Mark label, which contains specific family symbolism: the 'M' stands for Maker's, the 'S' stands for the Samuels family name, the 'IV' signifies that Bill Sr. was a 4th-generation Samuels commercial distiller, and the star represents Star Hill Farm (the Maker's Mark distillery property in Loretto). Margie also designed the bottle shape itself and — using her artist background combined with her chemistry degree — perfected the formula and hand-dipping technique for the signature red wax bottle seal. The red wax design was so distinctively recognizable that Maker's Mark was able to federally trademark the red wax drip in 1985, one of the few visual design elements ever granted federal trademark protection in the spirits industry. Margie's brand-building contributions earned her induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2014 — making her one of the most influential bourbon brand-builders in American whiskey history.

The Maker's Mark portfolio at Cana spans 117 products across core year-round expressions, the brand's flagship innovation programs, and multiple major commemorative bottle series:

Core / Year-Round:

• Maker's Mark Classic (90 proof / 45% ABV — the original wheated bourbon recipe, ~6 years aged)
• Maker's Mark 46 (94 proof, launched 2010 — Bill Samuels Jr.'s creation, finished with 10 seared French oak staves for 8-11 weeks)
• Maker's Mark Cask Strength (108-114 proof variable per batch)
• Maker's Mark 101 (101 proof Kentucky-exclusive)

Custom Barrel Program:

• Maker's Mark Private Selection (1,001 combinations of 5 French oak stave finishes: BAP2, SFC, Maker's 46, Roasted French Mendiant, Toasted French Spice — cask strength)

Annual Innovation Releases:

• Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series (2019-present, annual — see Q7)
• Maker's Mark Cellar Aged (2023-present, annual first age-stated — see Q8)
• Maker's Mark Lost Recipes No. 01 / No. 02 (annual archive recipes)
• Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm Whisky (2025 — Maker's first non-bourbon in 70+ years, see Q9)

Commemorative Bottle Programs:

• Maker's Mark × Keeneland Annual Commemorative Series (since 1997 — see Q10)
• Maker's Mark × Keeneland Greats of the Gate Series (since 2024 — 10-year program, see Q11)
• Triple Crown Winner Commemoratives (Secretariat 1973 anniversary 2003 release, American Pharoah 2015 winner 2016 release, Justify 2018 winner 2018 release)
• NFL Team Limited Editions (Kansas City Chiefs World Champions 2024, Denver Broncos, etc.)
• MLB Team Limited Editions (2025 Chicago Cubs, 2025 LA Dodgers, etc.)
• Vintage Special Releases (e.g., 2007 The Unforgettables)
• Maker's Mark USA 250th Anniversary (May 2026 — first red/white/blue wax, see Q6)
• Maker's Mark Barrel Select 125 Proof "Grenade" (200ml minis)

Maker's Mark uses a wheated mash bill of 70% corn, 16% soft red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley — the same recipe Bill Samuels Sr. and Margie Samuels perfected in 1953 through bread-baking experiments. Most Kentucky bourbons use rye as the secondary grain (typically 10-15% rye), but Maker's Mark replaced rye with soft red winter wheat for a smoother, less spicy bourbon. This wheated mash bill has been maintained without change across every Maker's Mark expression for 70+ years — from Classic 90 proof through Cellar Aged 115.7 proof, Wood Finishing Series, Lost Recipes, USA 250 Anniversary, and all the Keeneland/Greats of the Gate/Triple Crown/NFL/MLB commemoratives. The only exception is the recent Star Hill Farm Whisky (2025), which uses two wheat-dominant mash bills (70/30 wheat/malted barley + 100% malted wheat) and is classified as wheat whisky rather than bourbon.

The Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series is the brand's annual limited-release program launched in 2019, structured as two distinct 5-year chapters running through 2028:

First Chapter (2019-2023) — Production Process Focus:

• 2019 — RC6 (10 unique wood staves, Stave Profile RC6)
• 2020 — SE4 x PR5
• 2021 — FAE-01 and FAE-02 (two releases)
• 2022 — BRT-01 and BRT-02 (rickhouse aging position focus)
• 2023 — BEP (Barrel Entry Proof)

Second Chapter (2024-2028) — Maker's Mark People Focus:

• 2024 — The Heart Release (distillery team — the "Makers" of Maker's Mark)
• 2025 — The Keepers Release (warehouse team)
• 2026 — The Stewards Release (distillery operations teams)
• 2027-2028 — TBD

Each Wood Finishing Series release is a 750ml at ~$149.99-$189.99 MSRP, and the series has become one of the most-collected annual American whiskey programs of the 2020s.

Maker's Mark Cellar Aged is the brand's annual ultra-premium aged release and the first age-stated Maker's Mark in the brand's 70+ year history — launched in September 2023 as an annual global limited release. The inaugural 2023 release was a marriage of 12-year-old (87%) and 11-year-old (13%) Maker's Mark bourbon bottled at 115.7 proof (57.85% ABV) cask strength. The Cellar Aged program uses a unique two-stage aging process: barrels first spend approximately 6 years aging in traditional Maker's Mark rickhouses, then are transferred to the distillery's proprietary whisky cellar — a structure built directly into the natural Kentucky limestone shelf beneath the Loretto distillery — for an additional 5-6 years of cooler, more stable maturation. Cellar Aged represents Maker's Mark's most ambitious aging innovation since the brand's 1953 founding (Cana's 2023 inaugural release retails at $649.99).

Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm Whisky is Maker's Mark's first non-bourbon spirit in more than 70 years and Kentucky's inaugural estate-grown wheat whisky — first national release in 2025 at $100 SRP. Star Hill Farm Whisky is crafted from two distinct wheat mash bills blended together: one mash bill of 70% soft red winter wheat + 30% malted barley, and another mash bill of 100% malted soft red winter wheat. The whisky is aged 7-8 years, vatted together for 30 days, and bottled at 114.7 proof / 57.35% ABV cask strength — uncut and non-chill filtered. The release is certified as an Estate Whiskey by the Estate Whiskey Alliance — with 78% of the grain sourced from Star Hill Farm fields (the Maker's Mark estate property in Loretto) and the remaining 22% from partner farms within 60 miles of the distillery.

The Maker's Mark × Keeneland Annual Commemorative Series is the brand's signature charity partnership program — launched in 1997 as the longest-running annual Maker's Mark commemorative series. Each year, Maker's Mark releases a special commemorative bottle in conjunction with Keeneland Race Course's 15-day Spring Meet in Lexington, Kentucky. Over 27+ years of annual releases, the Maker's Mark × Keeneland program has raised more than $8 million for University of Kentucky and Central Kentucky charities including the Gill Heart Institute at UK HealthCare, the Lee T. and Patsy Todd Jr. Development Fund for the UK Music program, and CATS (Center for Academic Tutorial Services). The bottles are released in distinctive colored wax variations (Blue Keeneland, Red Keeneland, etc.) typically in 1L format. Cana Wine Co. stocks multiple historic Keeneland vintages including the 2020 Keeneland, 2023 Blue Keeneland, and 2023 Red Keeneland editions — vintage Keeneland bottles command significant secondary-market premiums as collector items. The partnership's centerpiece event is the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) — an annual Grade 1 turf race at Keeneland's Spring Meet that was first run in 1989 as the Fort Harrod Stakes and elevated to Grade 1 status in 2008.

The Maker's Mark × Keeneland Greats of the Gate Bottle Series is a 10-year annual commemorative program launched in 2024 honoring the greatest Thoroughbreds in horse racing history. The series has a charitable goal of $4 million raised for Kentucky nonprofit organizations over its 10-year run. Released annually:

• 2024 (Year 1 — Inaugural): Man o' War (Lexington-foaled, raced 1919-1920, won 20 of 21 races)
• 2025 (Year 2): Lexington (legendary 19th-century sire, raced 1853-1855, won 6 of 7 races — a historic horse Cana stocks as the "Greats of the Gate Lexington" bottle at $694.99)
• 2026 (Year 3): Northern Dancer (first Canadian-bred horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes — Cana stocks the 2026 release at $459.99)
• 2027-2033 (Years 4-10): TBD

Each Greats of the Gate bottle is 90 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky in a custom commemorative package and is separate from the older annual Keeneland Spring Meet bottle (which continues in parallel). Cana Wine Co. stocks the 2025 Lexington and 2026 Northern Dancer releases.

Beyond the Keeneland and Greats of the Gate series, Cana Wine Co. stocks Maker's Mark's broader commemorative library including:

Triple Crown Winner Commemoratives:

• 2003 Maker's Mark Secretariat 30th Anniversary Edition (commemorating the 1973 Triple Crown — Cana retail $1,399.99 1L)
• 2016 Maker's Mark American Pharoah Limited Edition (commemorating the 12th Triple Crown winner in 2015 — Cana retail $499.99 1L)
• 2018 Maker's Mark Justify Limited Edition (commemorating the 13th Triple Crown winner in 2018 — Cana retail $489.99 1L)

NFL Team Limited Editions:

• 2024 Maker's Mark Kansas City Chiefs World Champions ($129.99)
• Maker's Mark Denver Broncos Limited Edition ($259.99 MSRP)
• Additional NFL team releases

MLB Team Limited Editions:

• 2025 Maker's Mark Chicago Cubs ($189.99)
• 2025 Maker's Mark Los Angeles Dodgers ($279.99)
• Additional MLB team releases

Vintage Special Releases:

• 2007 Maker's Mark The Unforgettables ($449.99 1L vintage)
• Maker's Mark Private Selection bottles from 1997-2010 vintages (deep Cana inventory)
• Various other historical and one-off commemorative bottles

Maker's Mark Pricing Summary:

• Maker's Mark Classic (90 proof) — $25-$35 MSRP
• Maker's Mark 46 (94 proof) — $35-$45 MSRP
• Maker's Mark Cask Strength — $45-$60 MSRP
• Maker's Mark 101 (Kentucky-exclusive) — $45-$65 MSRP
• Maker's Mark Private Selection (cask strength) — $80-$130 MSRP
• Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series annual — $149.99-$189.99 MSRP
• Maker's Mark Cellar Aged — $200-$650 retail (older vintages at premium)
• Maker's Mark Lost Recipes No. 01 / No. 02 — $200-$400 MSRP
• Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm Whisky — $100 MSRP
• Maker's Mark USA 250th Anniversary — $28.99 SRP
• Maker's Mark × Keeneland Annual Commemoratives — $99.99-$399.99 retail depending on vintage
• Maker's Mark Greats of the Gate Series — $459.99-$694.99 retail
• Triple Crown Commemoratives — $489.99-$1,399.99 retail (vintage dependent)
• NFL/MLB Team Limited Editions — $129.99-$279.99 retail
• Maker's Mark Barrel Select 125 Proof "Grenade" (200ml)