LOW BARREL ENTRY PROOF. BIGGER FLAVOR. Created by Bill Samuels, Sr. to be a bourbon that he would enjoy drinking himself, Maker’s Mark is smooth and approachable with an easy finish – a true contrast to hot, harsh whiskies that 'blow your ears off,' and a downright revolutionary idea at the time. Maker’s Mark is made slowly in small batches, in our National Historic Landmark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. While it makes any cocktail better, a lot of folks still prefer it on its own, or over ice with a splash of water.