As the world’s first premium bourbon, it changed the industry in 1953. Bill Samuels Sr., the engineer turned craftsman who elevated bourbon with his flavour vision. Margie Samuels created packaging that would honour her husband’s handmade bourbon. The shape of the bottle, the look of the label, the signature red wax and even the Maker’s Mark®’s name are all thanks to Margie. Margie is also credited for inventing bourbon tourism. Bill Samuels Jr. brought the brand from a Kentucky favourite to an American icon. His pioneering wood staves finishing set the course for Maker’s Mark innovation today. Rob Samuels has been making his mark through the land as an 8th-generation distiller. Jim Beam In 1740, the Boehm family came to the 13 colonies, determined to live the colonial dream. 48 years later, they moved to where Kentucky is now and changed their name to Beam. Hot summers, mild winters and a nearby limestone spring made their new home ideal for - you guessed it—growing corn. By the late 1700s, German, Scottish and Irish settlers were making rye whiskey in Western Pennsylvania.With government incentives to move west and grow corn, many moved to the Kentucky region. Among them was Jacob Beam who used his father’s whiskey recipe to distill corn into a new, sweeter kind of whiskey. And just like that, our bourbon was born. Basil Hayden Crafted in 1992 by Booker Noe as part of the Small Batch collection, Basil Hayden introduced a more subtle side of bourbon compared to its counterparts. This style of bourbon was inspired by 1792 whiskey pioneer Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., a rye farmer from Maryland who moved to Kentucky and began distilling. He chose to distil his bourbon with a higher percentage of rye, and Booker set out to create a similar highrye mash bill that would offer the same refined, approachable taste profile.Today,this bourbon stands as a tribute to Meredith Basil Hayden Sr.’s high-rye mash bill ingenuity, as well as to Booker Noe, a true innovator who sought to welcome new drinkers into whiskey. Evan Williams Evan Williams was a natural-born leader, innovator, and entrepreneur. He worked in numerous trades as a businessman, politician, and most notably a whiskey distiller. In 1783, he founded Kentucky’s first commercial distillery on the banks of the Ohio River. Many years and barrels later, our master distillers are still producing Bourbon the right way, using the same time-honoured methods. Elijah Craig Reverend Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher, an educator, and from farms throughout the United States allowing them to create unique and innovative American Rye Whiskeys. Over the past decade, the popularity of American Single Malt Whiskey has grown considerably among whiskey connoisseurs around the world. Definitions or qualifications have yet to be officially determined. American Whiskeys are typically aged fewer years than Scotch and Irish Whiskies because the greater fluctuation of temperatures in the United States (hotter summers and colder winters) increases the interaction between the whiskey and the wood thus enhancing the ageing process. Wild Turkey In the early 1900’s the first distillery springs to life in Lawrenceburg on the banks of the Kentucky River. The Ripy Brothers began bottling on the very site where Wild Turkey’s current facility stands today. The Ripy Brothers distillery becomes the nursery from which Wild Turkey is born, setting the foundation for our proud bourbon tradition. The distillery changes hands and is renamed Anderson County Distillers. A fateful turkey hunt deep in the Kentucky woods introduces a new bourbon, so bold and unforgettable that it instantly gets its own name —Wild Turkey. One member of the hunting party, from the Austin Nichols family, loves the bourbon so much he forges the first agreement to sell it commercially. Wild Turkey Bourbon is trademarked, and the first bottle was sold by Austin Nichols Fine Wine and Spirits in 1942. Templeton Distillery Templeton Distillery is built on the shared experiences of our community. The roots of whiskey in our town can be traced back along family lines to the bootleggers of Prohibition. To this day, this rebellious and entrepreneurial mindset still holds true, where residents of our hometown unite together under a shared rallying cry of “A Strong Community Spirit.” A community that respects one another, that supports each other, and who comes together with a revived spirit. That was the town of Templeton, Iowa a century ago, and it’s the very same town today. We are following in the footsteps of our forefathers and crafting whiskey in their tradition. A whiskey that respects the past yet is inspired by the future. We call it Templeton. Maker’s Mark Maker’s Mark® began with one family’s quest to create a bourbon they enjoyed drinking and sharing with friends. 36|LUXEBOOK|NOV/DEC 2023 NOV/DEC 2023 |LUXEBOOK|37
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