Maker's Mark In A Battle To Keep Their Wax Toppers Exclusive

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — What makes Maker's Mark bottles different than anything else on the shelf? The Red Wax of course. No one else uses red wax on their bottles, at least not for now.

Federal Judges will be making a decision that may allow other bottles to use similar type bottle tops.

In 2010 Maker's Mark won an order giving it exclusive rights to the dripping wax seal.

The order ended a lawsuit between Maker's Mark and London-based Diageo North America and Casa Cuervo of Mexico, which used a dripping red wax seal on a special bottle of tequila.

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Maker's Mark Tours

They say seeing is believing. If you're ever out in our neck of the woods, stop by the Maker's Mark Distillery to see your whisky being made in person. There's nothing like it.

Tour Frequency
Monday - Saturday: Every hour on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sundays - We conduct tours at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., March through December.
All times are Eastern Time. We're closed on Sundays in January and February.

Holidays
The distillery is open on holidays except for Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

You must be 21 or older to dip your own bottle.

MAKER'S MARK DISTILLERY TOUR

Old Gristmill Maker’s Mark is the only operating distillery in America to be designated a National Historic Landmark. Do we sound proud or what? Originally built in 1805 as a gristmill distillery, it became the home of Maker’s Mark in 1953. Today, it is the oldest operating distillery on its original site.

Master's Distiller's House Built in the 1840s, this building was originally the Master Distiller's House. It wasn't until the invention of refrigeration in the 1920s that he was able to live away from the distillery. In the late 1980s, we added on to the house to create the Visitor Center. Inside you'll find a gallery full of great things: gifts, folk art, and mementos. But no Master Distiller.

The Toll House The Toll House just off our front drive is a permanent reminder of when fees were levied for use of roads nearly a century ago. Don't worry. Today you can tour our distillery absolutely free.

Fire Department What little boy didn't dream of becoming a fireman? Well, we can play fireman anytime we want, because we have our own antique fire engine stored on the property. In addition to being handy in an emergency, it adds to our distillery's distinctive charm.

The Still House Funny how something with the word "still" in it can be such a hotbed of activity. The Still House is the heart and soul of Maker's Mark. From our antique roller mill crushing the grain to the giant cypress tubs full of sour mash to the "white dog" (new whisky) running through the "spirit safe," this is where you can see Maker's Mark being made by hand every step of the way. The building, or at least the foundation, dates back to 1805 when it used to be a gristmill.

Fermenting Room This is where the sour mash ferments, producing the alcohol that will eventually become bourbon. These 12 foot deep cypress vats hold about 9,300 gallons of sour mash. Some of the cypress staves are over 100 years old. Traditionally, vats were made of cypress because the iron in steel would ruin bourbon, stainless steel hadn't been invented yet, and copper and ceramic were too expensive. The stuff is unbelievably tough, as anyone who has ever tried to repair one of these vats can tell you. Cypress, which grows in the swamps of Florida and Louisiana, is the best wood to use because it is naturally water-resistant and doesn't rot like other woods.

Barrel Warehouse Shhh. The whisky is sleeping. This is just one of the warehouses that dot the landscape around our distillery. The two warehouses shown on this tour date back to either the late 1800s or early 1900s and each holds around 4000 barrels. The other warehouses hold 15,000-20,000 barrels. After we fill the barrels, they're stored inside warehouses like this one so nature can work its magic while the whisky slumbers.

Directions to the Maker's Mark Distillery

Directions from Lexington
Take the Bluegrass Parkway West to Springfield, exit#42. Make a left onto Hwy. 555 South, into Springfield. At intersection of 555 and 150, turn right onto 150 West for approx. 2 miles. Turn left onto Hwy. 152 West, to Hwy 49 South. Continue ahead on 49 South into Loretto. At stoplight turn left onto Hwy. 52 East for approx. 3 miles. At the end of Burks Spring Road you will see our sign, You have just found the home of Makers Mark. Approximately 1 12 hours driving time.

Directions from Louisville
Take I-65 South from Louisville to exit #112, Clermont/Bernheim Forest exit. At ramp turn left onto Hwy. 245 South to Bardstown. Take Hwy. 245 to intersection of Hwy. 62, turning right and continue on Hwy. 62 east for approx. 2 miles. Hwy. 62 runs into Hwy. 150 where you will turn left and continue approx. 2 miles and past My Old Kentucky Home State Park. At intersection of Hwy. 150 and 49, turn right onto Hwy. 49 South and follow the brown historical landmark signs to Holy Cross, which will direct you to go straight on Hwy. 527 South. Follow Hwy. 527 to St. Francis (5 miles), where you will turn left onto Hwy. 52 East into Loretto. Continue on through Loretto for approx. 3 miles, at the end of Burks Spring Road you will see our sign, You have just found the home of Makers Mark. Approximately 1 12 hours driving time.

Directions from Nashville
Take I-65 North to Elizabethtown to the Bluegrass Parkway East. Continue on the BG to Bardstown exit #21. Turn left at exit onto Hwy. 31-E North to Bardstown. This will join Hwy. 62 in front of St. Joseph Cathedral. Go right to courthouse and continue 12 round where you will join Hwy. 150 East. Continue past My Old Kentucky Home State Park, to Hwy. 49 South to Holy Cross, take Hwy. 527 to St. Francis, turn left onto Hwy. 52 East through Loretto, (approx. 3 miles) to Burks Spring Road. You will see our sign You have just found the home of Makers Mark. Approximately 3 12 hours driving time, you will also go through a time change. Nashville is on Central Time, we are on Eastern Time, 1 hour ahead.

Contact Us For More Information
Visitors' Center at Maker's Mark Distillery
3350 Burks Spring Road
Loretto, Kentucky 40037
Telephone: (270) 865-2099