Driving Through Kentucky? Stop By Maker’s Mark Distillery

Next time you hit the road and you find yourself driving through the center of Kentucky, take a detour and make your way to Loretto (approximately 90 minutes south of Louisville), more specifically to Star Hill Farm, home of the Maker’s Mark Distillery.

Maker’s Mark Whisky, a handmade ‘Kentucky Straight Bourbon’ is a popular and well known brand in the whisky game. It varies from the usual bourbons for its use of soft red winter wheat as opposed to the more commonly used rye wheat. Per the official Maker’s Mark website:

Maker’s Mark® began with one family’s quest to create a bourbon they enjoyed drinking and sharing with friends. As the world’s first premium bourbon, it changed the industry in 1953.

The Tour…

Tours of the distillery are taking place 7 days a week, between 9:30 am – 5 pm. The are over 10 tour packages, starting at $26. There is also a restaurant on the premise, where you can enjoy some food and drink. It should be noted that one can visit the distillery without taking the tour, but you will have limited access as to where you can go and what you can see, and in some cases what you can sample.

The following pictures were taken (with permission) while on The Maker’s Mark tour.

Maker's Mark Giant Bottle Display at Distillery

**The Copper Stills used for Distillation**

The Stages of Whisky…

There are four stages to the Maker’s Mark whisky making process.

Fermentation – the making
Distillation – the refining
Aging – the seasoning
Finish – the branding

For a more detailed description of the four stages, visit the How It’s Made page of the Maker’s Mark website.

**Storing the Barrels for the Aging Process**

**The Finishing Touches – Each bottle is hand dipped and sealed with the red wax.**

**Printing the Labels on a hand-operated, 1935 Chandler & Price printing press**

The Conclusion…

A Note from the Writer: Whether you’re a whisky fan or not, I highly recommend taking the trip to Star Hill Farm and the Maker’s Mark distillery. To see, firsthand, what goes into the whisky making process and the many details that are involved, it is nothing short of impressive. Our tour guide was informative, fun, and made the whole experience enjoyable.

All tours end at the Gift Shop, so you’ll be able to pick up some souvenirs or gifts to take home with you, or perhaps a bottle or two of Maker’s Mark Whisky. Cheers!

[All photos were taken by Erick Sosa, with permission, while taking a tour.]