Change reaches tradition-rich Maker’s Mark with launch of its first new bourbon product

Maker’s Mark launching its first new product

LORETTO, Ky. — Since the late 1950s, the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Kentucky has churned out just one product — its namesake bourbon, known for its red wax seal.

That’s changing with next month’s introduction of Maker’s 46. It’s a cousin of the original but with a different aging method. While some competitors have dabbled with bourbon offshoots for years, Maker’s clung to a single product until now.

To create the product, master distiller Kevin Smith started with Maker’s and added a twist.

At the end of aging, workers add seared oak planks to the barrels. The barrels are refilled and aged two to three months longer. While mingling with the wood, the new whiskey takes on stronger hints of caramel, spice and vanilla.