Until now, there were only two paths to trying Maker’s Mark 101: you were either a friend of Maker’s Mark brass and stole a sip when visiting the distillery, or you returned from abroad. The higher proof version of classic Maker’s was first officially bottled for global travel retail, with availability limited to international duty-free shops. Starting today, it’s available at Maker’s Mark’s Loretto, Kentucky distillery and select retailers in the state for $50 a liter.
In the last decade, Maker’s Mark has re-made itself. Once entrenched as a one-bottle brand, it now pushes out a multitude of expressions riffing on the original, famously easy-drinking wheated bourbon. An 11 proof upgrade over the standard 90 proof expression and 12 proof under the new-ish cask strength bottling, 101 finds itself in the middle of the Maker’s whiskey ladder. It’s made using the aging process and mashbill (70 percent corn, 16 percent wheat and 14 percent malted barley) as all Maker’s bourbons. Find it at the distillery and select Kentucky stores now.