Maker's Mark 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey
Maker's Mark 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey is the higher-proof bottling of the famous wheated bourbon from Loretto, Kentucky — 50.5% ABV (101 proof), 750mL, from a mash of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat and 14% malted barley, made with limestone-filtered water and finished with the house's hand-dipped red wax seal. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 50.5% (101 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, 14% malted barley
- Water: Limestone-filtered, from the distillery's own spring-fed lake
- Origin: Maker's Mark Distillery, Loretto, Kentucky
The Wheated Original, Turned Up
Bill Samuels Sr. famously burned his family's old rye recipe and rebuilt the bourbon around soft red winter wheat instead — no rye at all — which is why Maker's Mark has always drunk rounder and sweeter than its Kentucky neighbours. The flagship is bottled at 90 proof; this 101 bottling takes the same wheated whiskey and turns the volume up — 101 was the proof Bill Samuels Sr. is said to have bottled for close friends and family on special occasions, and the house now releases it as its special-occasion bottling. The extra strength carries the caramel, vanilla and baking spice further and stands up in cocktails the flagship floats in. Find it on our bourbon whiskey shelf, compare it across the whisky range, or visit the Maker's Mark vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Caramel and vanilla over sweet oak and fruit. Palate: Richer and warmer than the flagship — brown sugar, baking spice and toasted wheat, with the wheat's softness still rounding the edges. Finish: Long and warming, spice and oak carrying at full strength.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with one large cube, where the extra proof reads as richness rather than heat. In an Old Fashioned or Boulevardier it is the Maker's that holds its own against bitters and vermouth — the reason bartenders asked for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Maker's Mark 101 different from regular Maker's Mark? Same wheated mash bill and same distillery — bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV) instead of 90 proof (45%), so the flavour arrives richer and warmer. It is not the barrel-proof Cask Strength, which varies by batch.
Why does Maker's Mark use wheat instead of rye? Founder Bill Samuels Sr. replaced the rye in the family recipe with soft red winter wheat, giving the bourbon its signature round, sweet, low-spice profile.
What does the red wax seal mean? Every bottle is hand-dipped in red wax at Loretto — a tradition started by Margie Samuels, who also designed the bottle and the Maker's Mark name and star.
The Loretto wheated bourbon at full voice — order Maker's Mark 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
