“I love that you recognize this about Maker’s Mark!” Rob Samuels responds excitedly when we bring up his family’s almost stubborn devotion to simplicity. For more than 70 years that means only one mash bill, one proprietary yeast strain, no seasonal pivots into rye or fleeting category trends. In an industry obsessed with novelty and at-times gimmicky frills, Maker’s has always played the long game—and garnered worldwide fanaticism along the way.
“When my grandparents founded Maker’s Mark in 1953, they were uncompromising in their pursuit of a bold and balanced bourbon. We have always remained guided by their vision,” he continues. The founding decision to use soft red winter wheat in the mash bill in place of the more commonly used rye remains the defining line in their Loretto, Kentucky soil. Where rye brings pepper and bite, wheat offers sweetness and roundness. The house style is supple, generous, unmistakably Maker’s.
So why not a Maker’s Rye, for instance? Why not multiple mash bills like so many competitors? Because for Samuels, an eighth-generation whisky maker and the label’s Managing Director, evolution isn’t about adding noise. It’s about digging deeper into that same soil.
The evidence has always been bottled in their exquisite Cask Strength, the purest expression of Maker’s Mark’s original vision. Pulled straight from the barrel and bottled at its natural proof—typically anywhere between 107 and 114—this is Maker’s Mark without dilution or disguise. If the beloved flagship 90-proof is the polished performance, Cask Strength is backstage access.
And for the first time ever in 2026, that backstage pass comes with a precise age statement, not to mention a new bottle. The decision wasn’t about chasing the age-statement arms race. “We wanted to shine a light on Cask Strength,” Samuels explains matter-of-factly. “My very first taste of Maker’s Mark was actually Cask Strength, shared inside the warehouse with my grandfather, Bill Samuels Sr,” he reveals, underscoring how personal the move is. “Adding the age statement today is a way to give that same intimate, behind-the-scenes look at our purest expression.”
Maker’s has long held to a simple philosophy: Age to taste, not time. Every barrel matures differently, interacting with Kentucky’s shifting seasons in its own way. The sweet spot for Cask Strength tends to land between seven and eight years—but until now, that detail lived mostly behind distillery doors.
The redesign and the age statement aren’t coincidences. They’re part of a broader premiumization and transparency journey Maker’s Mark has launched, already visible in releases like Cellar Aged and Star Hill Farm Whisky. For Maker’s, premium doesn’t just mean heavier glass or older stock. It means clarity: about age, about ingredients, about sustainability. For the B Corp-certified distillery focuses on ecology, including key initiatives like launching the world’s largest American white oak repository, aiming for 100% sustainably sourced grain and maintaining a zero-waste-to-landfill philosophy. “Whisky is an agricultural product,” Samuels reminds us.
“When my grandparents founded Maker’s Mark in 1953, they were uncompromising in their pursuit of a bold and balanced bourbon. We have always remained guided by their vision.”
Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark Bourbon
And that philosophy now stretches beyond the barrel. Star Hill Farm Whisky, developed over a decade, marked the distillery’s first new mash bill and a deep dive into regenerative wheat. It also carries certification from The Estate Whiskey Alliance, signaling traceability and commitment to locally sourced grains. Healthy soil, Samuels insists, leads to better ingredients, richer flavor, and a more promising future.
Yet even as Maker’s explores regenerative farming and French oak finishing—think Maker’s 46 and the Wood Finishing Series—the anchor remains Cask Strength. It is the foundation upon which every innovation rests. Before there were secondary finishes or cellar-aged experiments, there was the uncut, unfiltered heartbeat of the brand. Cask Strength’s nose opens with dark cherry and toasted oak, followed by warm vanilla and salted caramel. On the palate, it carries a velvety mouthfeel—dense but not aggressive—building heat slowly rather than spiking. Dark chocolate emerges mid-palate, chased by soft baking spices that linger long after the last sip.
The higher proof amplifies texture and depth without tipping into harshness. A few drops of water unlock even more nuance—brightening fruit, softening oak, lengthening the finish. The mash bill remains unchanged. The yeast strain endures. The red wax still drips chaotically by hand. But now in 2026 and beyond, etched clearly onto the label is the age—another layer of honesty in a bottle that has always been about purity and consistency.
“There are many ways we communicate the perfectly unreasonable lengths we go to craft uncompromisingly delicious bourbon across our portfolio of expressions,” Samuels concludes. “All of which are anchored by the founders’ vision as our North Star: made by hand, made by land and driven by a higher purpose.” You can now find Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon with age statement on the label for its SRP of $50.
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