Wild Turkey Associate Distiller Eddie Russell, newly inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.

This weekend has been an especially memorable one for Wild Turkey, thanks to Friday’s induction of Associate Distiller Eddie Russell into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. The prestigious honor is part of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which concludes its six-day celebration of America’s Native Spirit today.

Manhattan 101

Even if you didn’t make it to Bardstown this year, there’s still time to celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month, which was first observed in September 2007. To help enthusiasts get into the spirit of the month, Wild Turkey has offered recipes for variations on a trio of iconic whiskey cocktails: the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned and the Whiskey Sour.

The three classics can be made with any type of whiskey, though ideally one that can stand up to the robust ingredients called for in their respective recipes. Rye, with its dry and spicy flavor profile, has once again become the preferred choice of bartenders, but its popularity has made it increasingly difficult to obtain in parts of the country.

At 101 proof, Wild Turkey Bourbon delivers a deeper, richer flavor than typical bourbons, which tend to be on the sweeter side. With Wild Turkey as the featured bourbon, each of the three cocktails offers the balanced profile that made them classics in the first place, with just enough tweaks to pleasantly surprise even the most seasoned cocktail enthusiast.

For more information, visit wildturkeybourbon.com.

MANHATTAN 101
Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
• 1/3 oz dry vermouth
• 1/3 oz sweet vermouth
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger
• 3 mint leaves
• 1/2  tsp powdered sugar
• Dash aromatic bitters

Preparation:

• Muddle ginger, mint, powdered sugar and bitters in a cocktail shaker.
• Add Wild Turkey Bourbon, vermouth and ice.
• Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Old Fashioned 101

OLD FASHIONED 101
Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
• 1/2 oz apple cider
• 3 sage leaves
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 orange twists
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 fresh cherry
• 1 oz Amaretto

Preparation:

• Slice cherry from top to bottom five times around pit, and soak in a cup of Amaretto.
• Muddle cider, sage, saffron, brown sugar, orange twists and zest together in glass.
• Add Wild Turkey Bourbon and stir.
• Strain and serve over ice, garnish with Amaretto-soaked cherry.

Whiskey Sour 101

WHISKEY SOUR 101
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
• 1/2 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz honey
• 1 fresh cherry
• 1 oz Wild Turkey American Honey
• Dollop of egg white

Preparation:

• Slice cherry from top to bottom five times around pit, and soak in a cup of Wild Turkey American Honey.
• Combine Wild Turkey Bourbon, grapefruit juice, lime juice and honey in a cocktail shaker.
• Froth egg white and add a dollop to the mixture.
• Shake and serve over ice. Garnish with Wild Turkey American Honey-soaked cherry.

Recipes and images courtesy of Wild Turkey.

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In 2008, Maker’s Mark named Kevin Smith as its new Master Distiller. In one of his earliest meetings with Smith, Samuels expressed his desire to create a new Maker’s Mark. From the beginning, Samuels and Smith wanted the new expression to keep the original Maker’s Mark flavor profile, but intensified and full-bodied without any bitterness. To achieve the desired results, Smith suggested giving mature Maker’s Mark a different finish. After their experiments reached a seeming dead end, they turned to Brad Boswell (President, Independent Stave Company) to help develop the finishing process.

Boswell invented a groundbreaking technique in which he lightly seared French oak staves on both sides. The staves were seared just enough so that caramel and vanilla flavors were released, while only a small amount of tannin (which adds bitterness) came out of the wood. The Maker’s 46 name comes from the profile number Boswell assigned to the special seared staves. For the final finishing process, ten of these Number 46 staves are attached to the sides of barrels that previously held fully matured Maker’s Mark. The bourbon is then put back in the barrel and aged for several more months, allowing the staves to give the spirit an enhanced complexity and character.

Prior to its release, tastes of the highly anticipated Maker’s 46 were given to a lucky few, from select guests at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic to members of the Seven Grand Whiskey Society. On June 29, the first five bottles of Maker’s 46 to ever come down the line were ceremoniously dipped in the distinctive Maker’s Mark red wax. Doing the honors were Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear, Samuels, Smith and Boswell. Smith pulled the five bottles off the line, numbered them, then locked them away for posterity.

The "First Dip" of Maker's 46 with Kevin Smith (L) and Bill Samuels Jr. (C) | Photo: Maker's Mark

While overall production at the distillery is expected to exceed one million cases for the first time this year, only 25,000 cases of Maker’s 46 will be shipped, which is sure to increase the demand for this first year’s batch. As bourbon fans begin seeking out the new release, Maker’s Mark has provided the following tasting notes to whet their palates:

Maker’s 46

• 94 Proof (47% ABV)
• Aroma – Pleasant, sweet, toasty oak nose with caramel overtones. More intense aroma without an alcohol nose.
• Taste – Rich, creamy seared-oak flavors; caramel and vanilla notes linger on the front of the palate, but it is still soft enough to hold on the tongue even at 94 proof.
• Finish – A big mouth-watering oaky finish. Long with a little spice, staying forward on the palate without the bitter bite found in older whiskies.

Maker’s 46 will be sold in 750ml bottles and retail for an estimated $10 more than the standard Maker’s Mark (prices vary by state).

Initial reaction to Maker’s 46 has been positive. John Hansell notes in his Malt Advocate review, “The French Oak staves in ‘46’ add firm, complex, dry spices (lead by warming cinnamon, followed by nutmeg and clove)…which dovetails well with Maker’s trademark layered sweetness.” Drink Spirits gives Maker’s 46 an enthusiastic 4.5 out of 5 stars (Very Highly Recommended): “We actually like Maker’s 46 even better than the original and expect it to be a huge hit in the marketplace.”

For more information about Maker’s 46 and Maker’s Mark, visit www.makersmark.com.
Maker’s Mark on Twitter: @MakersMark
Maker’s Mark on Facebook: facebook.com/makersmark

Watch an archived stream of the Maker’s 46 “First Dip” at Ustream.

BourbonBlog has more Maker’s 46 coverage, including the first day of bottling, as well as an exclusive tasting and interview with Kevin Smith.

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