Producer is more about making history down the road into 70 years or more. Maker's Mark wheat whiskey is the very first product in the company's history that will not fall within the bourbon category.
People have become familiar with the red wax seal of Maker's Mark as it is applied to this product, or more specifically, that comes with the unusual bottle shape of Star Hill Farm Whisky when the design-conscious consumer gets to taste that for the first time.
American whiskey is making up at least 51 percent of the mash in federal law, and this is the definition of a spirit. Although it's not the first time that this category has existed, it has become popular more recently as too many medium or small producers are trying this as they experiment with new fields beyond the current overhead imposed by the bourbon market.
Layfield tells Food and Wine that "we really jumped straight in and let nature dictate the process by skipping our barrel rotation, which is a process we've honed for Maker's Mark." "All the same for distillation parameters: mill, mash, yeast, fermentation time, and entry proof. We tried and true, but then," he adds.
As per the statements of the distiller, "There you are going to find buttery caramel and golden raisin aromas leading into an incredibly divergent palate from what we expect from typical bourbons; it finishes with toasted pecans and soft cinnamon, which is going to end up as a very approachable, easy-sipping whiskey, showcasing the gentle, inherent softness of wheat."
One aspect they could change, among many, is the age, cask type, mash bill, or even grain that would probably change from future releases—in conjunction with "We're also deep-diving into our wood science expertise, experimenting with different barrel types. We saw how specific oaks could coax out the layers of unique flavor, while others were more familiar traits revealed." He then continued, "The way the flavor has really kept evolving in the last seven to eight years has truly been a real 'wow' moment for all of us."
Star Hill Farm Whisky, however, is the product of much hype at Maker's Mark to announce that, in the next three years, the one million acres of farmland would be regenerative-designated; that is, regenerative agriculture, which has been known to improve soil health, promote biodiversity, and reduce carbon emissions.
The first such spirit to earn the Estate Whiskey Certification, which was established by the University of Kentucky and brought about the creation of the Estate Whiskey Alliance. It intends to show spirits fully "distilled on an estate, using grains sourced from estate-owned or controlled land," according to a press release.