The Birth of a Maker's Mark Barrel

We recently received a letter notifying us that our our newborn Marker's Mark barrel has finally arrived. That is, the distillery has filled a charred American white oak barrel with their signature whiskey plated with the WineCompass name and is gently resting in a warehouse. This is a benefit for joining the Marker's Mark Ambassador program. By joining this program participants receive their name on a Maker’s Mark barrel; an opportunity to purchase a bottle of Maker’s Mark from your batch; updates on the aging of your bourbon; advanced notice of rare, special-release bottles; and invitations to special Ambassadors-only Maker’s Mark tasting events. Sadly, we couldn't attend the last one scheduled in Washington D.C. In return, participants do all they can to promote the Maker's Mark brand. Hence, this post.

So what makes Maker's Mark any different then the dozens of premium bourbons on the market. It starts with the ingredients. In order to be labeled bourbon, the whiskey must derive from at least 51% corn; the rest is usually barley and rye. Maker's Mark uses yellow corn from specially selected small farm cooperatives to ensure only the highest quality corn. Instead of rye, the distillery uses red winter wheat which produces a gentler taste. This mash is then fermented by a special yeast strain that has been in the Samuels family for six generations.

After fermentation, the whiskey is placed in a new charred American white oak barrel and sent to a warehouse where it sits still for a number of years. At bottling a distillery then collects samples from various portions of the warehouse to add to each bottle. This is because the bourbon ages differently depending on its location. Instead of following this process, Maker's Mark rotates the barrels. Possibly the only distillery to do so. According to the distillery, "all our barrels start at the top of the warehouse where they are exposed to the greatest temperature extremes. Hot Kentucky summers cause the whisky to expand into the wood. Cold winters cause the whisky to contract back out of the wood. This is what allows the whisky to absorb the wonderful flavors from the wood. When ready, (around three years) each barrel is moved to a lower part of the warehouse to continue its maturation process in a less extreme fashion." That's why we like this bourbon. Add in the trademark red wax and you have your bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon.

When will be able to see our "baby" barrel? Well, online or a taking a trip to their Loretto, Kentucky facility. When will we be able to taste the aging bourbon? In 6 or 7 years. I hope we don't forget about the barrel during this process.

Maker's Mark Ambassador

I have been drinking Maker's Mark for a number of years now, and a few months back I signed up for their Ambassador program. As an Ambassador, you receive a number of benefits in return for promoting the bourbon to others. The coolest benefit is having your name posted on a barrel and then having the ability to taste and purchase the bourbon when it reaches maturity. The Maker's Mark Ambassador Web site also includes links to stories about the distillery; the Samuels family; special events; and, of course, the status of your barrel.

Now, Maker's Mark is quite unique from other bourbons and not just from their trademarked red wax seal. The bourbon consists of iron-free limestone water from a neighboring spring fed lake. The distillery does not use rye, which they feel leaves too much bitterness on the tongue and instead uses locally grown red winter wheat in conjunction with the corn. They feel this combination provides a smoother flavor, plus the grains are softly crushed with an antique roller mill which doesn't scorch the grain. The final ingredient, the yeast, is a special strain developed by the Samuel family and produced directly at the distiller. The mash is distilled twice, first in an all-copper column still at 120 proof, and then a second time in a copper pot still at 130 proof. This low distillation proof preserves the natural flavor of the corn and wheat. Then, after the spirit is stored in white oak barrels, these barrels are rotated within the warehouse in order to help create a consistent flavor.

So that's the story why Maker's Mark differs from other bourbons. We will continue to post on the status of our barrel as we sip it from our red wax dipped glass.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery

Fresh off our research of American Rum Distillers, we decided to pay a visit to a local craft bourbon distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery. Yes, it is entirely accurate to question designating this distillery as a micro-distillery - but after several years of producing large scale export driven products, A. Smith Bowman is returning to its roots.

That started over 70 years ago when Abram Smith Bowman and his sons, Smith and DeLong, began making bourbon at the family Sunset Hills Farm in Wiehle, Virginia. The distillery itself was situated in a building constructed in 1892, which served as the town hall for Wiehle, as well as a church. For the next 50 years the distillery produced their trademark Virginia Gentleman® at this location. During that time the Bowman family sold most of their estate to Robert E. Simon, who used proceeds from selling Carnegie Hall to created the planned community of Reston. As the area became more urbanized from this development, in 1988 the distillery moved south to Fredericksburg, where it still operates today. In its infinite wisdom Fairfax County bulldozed several historic structures associated with the historic distillery and the original Bowman house and distillery are now threatened as developers seek to build homes and condominiums on the property. The county has little respect for history when money is involved.

Meanwhile in Fredericksburg, the A. Smith Bowman Distillery was eventually purchased by the Sazerac Company, who also owns the Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Old Rip Van Winkle, Blanton's, Elmer T. Lee, and other well known brands. The Bowman brand had expanded to include vodka, rum, gin, and other products and the Bowman name became more associated with these spirits instead of the old Virginia Gentleman® brand. This brand had actually expanded to include the Virginia Gentleman® 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon which was awarded a double gold medal and named Best American Whiskey at the 2003 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This tradition of excellence continued at this year's competition as the 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon also earned a double gold medal. The master distiller who crafts this award winning spirit, Joe Dangler, agreed to host a tour of their facility for me.

Mr. Dangler has worked for the A. Smith Bowman Distillery for over 30 years, starting in Reston and relocating to Fredericksburg with the distillery. He was originally hired as a line foreman and over the course of his career emerged as the distillery's master distiller. No formal education - just on the job training. At the Fredericksburg facility, bourbon is the only spirit created and the product line consists of three brands: Bowman Bourbon, Virginia Gentleman® and Virginia Gentleman® 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon. Each brand is made from the original Virginia Gentleman® recipe, the only difference is the dilution and length of aging. In order to benefit from economies of scale, the mash and first distillation occur at the parent's Buffalo Trace Distillery. The corn whiskey is then transported to Fredericksburg where it undergoes a second distillation in a copper still and chilled filtered. The bourbon is then aged in new casks in a warehouse palette system that was designed to use labor efficiently and allow for ample ventilation to control temperature. The Virginia Gentleman® 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon is aged for six years whereas the other two brands are aged between 3 1/2 to 4 years.

The warehouse smells amazing - think of the sweet corn aroma of bourbon. I asked Mr. Dangler if he ever gets tired of the smell and he informed me "no" and his nose has been trained to notice any off-odors. A semi-quality control mechanism. There's no tasting at the facility, but instead I was given access to view the the warehouse, distillation room, and bottling system. Besides the row after row of aging bourbon, the copper still was the most impressive piece - a fine piece of craftsmanship. The distillery also possesses antique scales used by the Feds to calculate taxes as well as several antique barrel making tools. Very soon the distillery hopes to showcase these items in a new visitor center. This center will also include displays on the history of the Bowman family, the distillery, and the city of Fredericksburg. We look forward to that development. In the meanwhile the Virginia Gentleman® 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon has replaced Ancient Age and Wild Turkey 101 as our everyday bourbon. Retailing between $20-$25, this double gold winner is a bargain. It has a honey aroma that intensifies after adding a couple drops of water to the glass. At 90 proof there's an initial alcohol burn - but it quickly dissipates to a sweet nutmeg\vanilla tail. Yes, some days its worth to splurge on a Black Maple Hill or a Pappy Van Winkle - but for a steady, everyday brand - the Virginia Gentleman® 90 Proof Small Batch Bourbon is the king.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival - Bourbon

On Saturday April 5th 2008, we attended the 2nd Annual Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival held at the Timonium Fairgrounds, Maryland. We intended to spend a day away from wine and sample various craft beers and America's native spirit: Bourbon. Our first task was to learn more about this spirit so we headed immediately to the first seminar of the day: "The Wonderful World of Bourbon" - hosted by Wild Turkey Distillery's Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. Mr. Russell has worked at the distillery since 1954 and humorously and honestly guided the audience through the definition of Bourbon - to government regulations - to sampling 5 different Wild Turkey brands.

Bourbon was first distilled in Bourbon County Kentucky in the late 1700s. Elijah Craig is considered the inventor of bourbon, since he was probably the first to age the whiskey in charred oak barrels. Today, this whiskey is the most restricted spirit in the United States in which the government regulates its definition and receives 65% of the retail price in taxes. At one time, Federal Agents even possessed the keys to the distilleries and opened and locked the doors before and after working hours. By definition, a whiskey can be called bourbon when

• It is made in the United States.
• It is made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.
• It is distilled to no more than 160 proof.
• It is aged to no more than 125 proof.
• It is 100% natural (nothing other than water added to the mixture).
• It is aged in new, American White Oak, charred barrels. Once used, the barrels are sold for other uses - primarily whiskey aging.
  

At Wild Turkey, Mr Russell attempts to create a consistent flavor with each batch. This consistency is evident in the Wild Turkey 101 - made from a blend of 6, 8, and 10 year old bourbons. Each bottle has virtually the same caramel and vanilla notes with a sweet tail. We next tried the Russell's Reserve Bourbon made from batch of 100 barrels 10 years to proof. This was good - but there's something about the flagship 101. Mr. Russell fought the idea of producing a single barrel product because it was incompatible with his goals to produce a consistent bourbon. After reluctantly agreeing to work with market forces, every year he designates barrels with a similar taste and uses these for their Single Barrel Bourbon. Their Rare Breed is an interesting bourbon, its made to barrel proof - in that no water is added - from a blend of 6, 8, and 10 year old bourbons. This was our favorite - and since it has a touch of tobacco - would be great with a cigar. Finally we tried their American Honey Liquor, basically the same Wild Turkey 101 with honey and spices added. This aperitif is popular as an after dinner drink or as Mr. Russell uses it: with lemonade or over ice cream.

Upon leaving the seminar we found ourselves at the lone whiskey booth: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. While sampling their excellent Single Barrel 94 Whiskey - we learned about sour mash, charcoal filtering, and the historical tradition of America's oldest registered distillery. Jack Daniel's whiskey is unique because the whiskey is filtered - drop-by-drop - through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal. Along with the sour mash process (where a portion of the previous batch is added to the next batch) this filtration mellows the whiskey before it is aged in the barrel.

Directly across was a display of several well known Jim Bean brands: Knob Creek, Bookers, Bakers, and Basil Hayden. The Basil Hayden bourbon is unique in that it consists of just over 51% corn, whereas most distillers use over 70% corn. Basil Hayden uses more rye to offset the lower amount of corn which produces a lighter bodied bourbon. This profile was popular among the beer drinkers at the event. The Basil Hayden bourbon also has a tie to the state of Maryland because the brand is named after Basil Hayden, a Maryland Catholic who, in the late 1780s, led a group of pioneers from Maryland into what is now Nelson County, Kentucky (near Bardstown). There Hayden founded the first Catholic church west of the Allegheny Mountains.

We made sure we visited Maker's Mark next, and while waiting for our souvenir baseball dipped in wax, learned what makes this bourbon popular, besides the distinctive red wax seal and drip marks. Maker's Mark is made without rye. Instead barley and winter wheat is combined with corn to produce a smoother spirit - even before aging. The barrels are rotated from top to bottom in the warehouse, which helps create a different flavor profile. As a result, this spirit does not require a long aging process and can be bottled by taste, not age.

At this point in the day, after two hours of not spitting, we decided to be a little more discriminatory in our tasting. We skipped the Buffalo Trace booth since we are very familiar with their Blantons, Ancient Age, and Buffalo Trace brands and headed to the small batch booths. To our surprise the first we tried was a Buffalo Trace brand: Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon. This is a great bourbon - somewhat nutty - almost chewy - but still smooth throughout. The next was the Ridgemont Reserve 1792 Small Batch Bourbon. This is a lighter bourbon with a honey and vanilla aroma and soft finish. Coming after the Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel probably didn't help its cause. The final table contained small patch brands from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. These were all excellent bourbons and we recommend trying all. Our favorite was the Kentucky Vintage and this may become our everyday bourbon. Sorry Ancient Age 10 Year. It is made in the Sour Mash fashion (although I guess almost all straight bourbons are made in this fashion) and has a medium body with caramel flavors. Those who prefer a more potent drink, try their Pure Kentucky XO aged to 107 proof or their Noahs Mill aged to 114 proof. After the initial burn, these bourbons are loaded with the usual vanilla and caramel flavors and a long-long sweet finish. It may even be advisable to add a touch of water to these last two brands to reduce the tannins. The final bourbon tasted for the day was their Rowan’s Creek, a 100 proof bourbon that is a little more fruitier than its cousins. It also has the most flavorful aroma. Why did I prefer the Kentucky Vintage?

For bourbon lovers, this was a great opportunity to sample various styles without having to pay for the entire bottle. Our hope for next year is that more corporate representatives will be available to discuss their brands - but thanks to Jimmy Russell and the reps from Makers Mark and Jack Daniels for spending time with us. Bourbon truly is "America's Native Spirit".