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W Club Decanted x Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm
A bumper month for the W Club Decanted, we present you another fantastic episode - this time in collaboration with Dr. Blake Layfield, Master Distiller and Head of Innovation & Blending at Maker’s Mark.
“Everything we do is about flavour.”
Layfield's connection to whiskey runs deep with a PhD in food science and a decade of experience in the spirits industry, he’s a man driven by flavour and science in equal measure.
He has been instrumental in the creation of Maker's latest release - Star Hill Farm. More than just the name of their release, Star Hill Farm is the 1,100-acre birthplace of Maker’s Mark - a hub of innovation in regenerative agriculture.
“American whiskey is nature distilled [...] It’s about grains, water, oak, yeast, and time. But how you articulate those variables creates the diversity on the shelf.”
Star Hill Farm Whiskey marks a number of firsts: the first new mash bill from Maker’s Mark, the first whiskey from the distillery not bearing the Maker’s name, and the first without the iconic red wax seal.
Instead of corn, the mash bill is made from 70% wheat and 30% malted barley, resulting in a delicate, floral spirit quite distinct from traditional bourbon. A second mash bill of 100% malted wheat adds further complexity.
To enhance this innovation, Maker’s used five different barrel types, from classic American oak to experimental hybrids. And with cask rotation (a rare technique in bourbon production), the maturation was carefully controlled to achieve a balanced, expressive flavour.
The result? A vibrant wheat whiskey with notes of pear, apple, candied ginger, and bitter orange, layered over a rich, complex mouthfeel.
"It’s still sweet but more refined - think candied citrus and soft spices like cinnamon and nutmeg."
Find out more about what went into this fascinating new release by listening to the podcast now!
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A bit of History
Maker’s Mark begins with founder Bill Samuels’ mash bill of soft red winter wheat, which imparts the sweetness that the bourbon is known for. Using the distillery’s own source of pure limestone water, they distil their whiskey in a double-distillation process using their original still and an exact replica. Maturation is completed in seasoned new American white oak, with a grade three char, so elements of sweet vanilla are imbued into the liquid. The 525-pound barrels are then rotated by hand to expose each cask to the varying temperatures around the rackhouse. They spend a minimum of three hot Kentucky summers there, and are tasted by a panel of experts to determine when they are to be rotated to cooler area. The liquid is then decanted into its signature bottle, modelled on 19th century cognac bottles, and hand-dipped into that electric red wax seal.
Find out more about Maker's Mark here
Featured Drams
Listened to the pod and want to get your hands on your very own bottle of Star Hill? You're in the right place - you can now buy these instore and online at The Whisky Shop!
Star Hill Farm Whiskey is a bold new release from the Maker’s Mark Distillery, crafted by Master Distiller Blake Layfield as a celebration of flavour born from nature. Made entirely from wheat and malted barley without corn for the first time in the distillery’s history, this American Wheat Whiskey showcases the depth and richness of soft red winter wheat. With a high-strength bottling at 57.35% ABV, the inaugural expression features a marriage of two wheat-forward mashbills, delivering a distinctive and nuanced taste profile.
